brazil tourist facts

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in Brazil – statistics & facts

Brazil's natural attractions, covid-19 impact on the brazilian tourism sector, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Total tourism GDP in Latin American countries 2021

Internal travel and tourism consumption in Latin American countries 2019

Brazil: tourism revenue by segment 2020

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Tourism revenue in Brazil 2019-2022

Inbound tourism volume in Brazil 2010-2021

Inbound tourism volume in Brazil 2021, by origin

Related topics

Recommended.

• Travel and tourism in Latin America & Caribbean
• Travel and tourism in Mexico
• Sustainable tourism worldwide
• Carnival in Brazil
• Food service in Brazil

Recommended statistics

Regional overview.

• Basic Statistic Share of total tourism contribution to GDP in Latin American countries 2022
• Basic Statistic Share of tourism in total employment in Latin American countries 2022
• Premium Statistic Most competitive Latin American countries for tourism 2021
• Premium Statistic Number of natural parks in Latin American countries 2023

Share of total tourism contribution to GDP in Latin American countries 2022

Travel and tourism as percentage of gross domestic product in Latin America in 2022, by country

Share of tourism in total employment in Latin American countries 2022

Travel and tourism as percentage of total employment in Latin America in 2022, by country

Most competitive Latin American countries for tourism 2021

Leading countries for tourism in Latin America in 2021, based on the Travel and Tourism Development Index

Number of natural parks in Latin American countries 2023

Number of natural parks in Latin America as of August 2023, by country

Key figures

• Premium Statistic Tourism revenue in Brazil 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Contribution of tourism spending to Brazilian GDP 2010-2021, by type
• Basic Statistic Share of travel and tourism spending in Brazil 2022, by origin
• Premium Statistic Hospitality businesses in Brazil 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Hospitality headcount in Brazil 2016-2021
• Premium Statistic Average trips by Brazilian travelers 2023, by economic level
• Premium Statistic Tourism development in Brazil 2021, by pillar

Revenue generated by the tourism sector in Brazil from 2019 to 2022 (in billion Brazilian reals)

Contribution of tourism spending to Brazilian GDP 2010-2021, by type

Tourism expenditure as share of gross domestic product in Brazil from 2010 to 2021, by type

Share of travel and tourism spending in Brazil 2022, by origin

Distribution of expenditure by tourists in Brazil in 2022, by main origin

Hospitality businesses in Brazil 2010-2021

Number of companies in the accommodation and food service industries in Brazil from 2010 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Hospitality headcount in Brazil 2016-2021

Number of employees in the accommodation and food service industries in Brazil from 2016 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Average trips by Brazilian travelers 2023, by economic level

Average number of trips taken by tourists from Brazil as of July 2023, by social class

Tourism development in Brazil 2021, by pillar

Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in Brazil in 2021, by pillar

Brazilian tourists

• Premium Statistic Domestic rail travelers in Brazil 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of air travelers in domestic flights in Brazil 2000-2021
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in Brazil 2023
• Premium Statistic Attitudes towards traveling in Brazil 2023
• Premium Statistic Favorite domestic destinations in Brazil 2023
• Basic Statistic International mobility for passport holders from Brazil 2023, by visa type

Domestic rail travelers in Brazil 2010-2021

Number of domestic rail passengers in Brazil from 2010 to 2021 (in millions)

Number of air travelers in domestic flights in Brazil 2000-2021

Number of domestic air passengers in Brazil from 2000 to 2021 (in millions)

Travel product online bookings in Brazil 2023

Travel product online bookings in Brazil as of December 2023

Attitudes towards traveling in Brazil 2023

Attitudes towards traveling in Brazil as of December 2023

Favorite domestic destinations in Brazil 2023

Preferred travel destinations for domestic tourists in Brazil as of July 2023

International mobility for passport holders from Brazil 2023, by visa type

Number of countries where Brazilian passport holders need or do not need a visa as of August 2023

International tourists

• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Brazil 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Brazil 2021, by origin
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Brazilian states 2021
• Premium Statistic Travel spending of inbound visitors in Brazil 2010-2021, by purpose
• Premium Statistic Favorite international destinations in Brazil 2023

Number of international tourist arrivals in Brazil from 2010 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of international tourist arrivals in Brazil in 2021, by region of origin (in 1,000s)

Inbound tourism volume in Brazilian states 2021

Number of international tourist arrivals in Brazil in 2021, by state (in 1,000s)

Travel spending of inbound visitors in Brazil 2010-2021, by purpose

Travel expenditure of international tourists in Brazil from 2010 to 2021, by travel purpose (in billion U.S. dollars)

Favorite international destinations in Brazil 2023

Preferred travel destinations for international tourists from Brazil as of July 2023

Lodging industry

• Premium Statistic Hotels, beds, and rooms available in Brazil 2017-2021
• Premium Statistic Share of hotel rooms in Brazil 2022, by hotel size and origin
• Premium Statistic Hotel room occupancy in Brazil 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Average daily revenue of hotels per occupied room in Brazil 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Hotel RevPAR in Brazil 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Main hotel brands in Brazil 2022, by number of rooms

Hotels, beds, and rooms available in Brazil 2017-2021

Number of establishments, rooms, and beds in the hotel industry in Brazil from 2017 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Share of hotel rooms in Brazil 2022, by hotel size and origin

Distribution of hotel rooms in Brazil as of July 2022, by size and origin of hotel

Hotel room occupancy in Brazil 2010-2023

Occupancy rate of hotel rooms in Brazil from 2010 to 2023

Average daily revenue of hotels per occupied room in Brazil 2010-2023

Average daily rate of hotels in Brazil from 2010 to 2023 (in Brazilian reals)

Hotel RevPAR in Brazil 2010-2023

Revenue per available room of hotels in Brazil from 2010 to 2023 (in Brazilian reals)

Main hotel brands in Brazil 2022, by number of rooms

Leading hotel brands in Brazil as of July 2022, by on number of rooms

Package holidays & travel companies

• Premium Statistic Revenue of the package holidays industry in Brazil 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Travel agencies in Brazil 2017-2021
• Premium Statistic Most recalled travel agencies in Brazil 2023
• Premium Statistic CVC Corp: net revenue 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic Despegar: number of transactions 2019-2022, by market

Revenue of the package holidays industry in Brazil 2019-2028

Revenue of the package holidays market in Brazil from 2019 to 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Travel agencies in Brazil 2017-2021

Number of travel agencies in Brazil from 2017 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Most recalled travel agencies in Brazil 2023

Most memorable travel agencies in Brazil in 2023

CVC Corp: net revenue 2015-2022

Net revenue of CVC Brasil Operadora e Agência de Viagens S.A. from 2015 to 2022 (in million Brazilian reals)

Despegar: number of transactions 2019-2022, by market

Number of transactions completed on Despegar.com platforms from 2019 to 2022, by market (in millions)

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

18 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Brazil

Written by Michael Law , Lana Law , and Barbara Radcliffe Rogers Updated Mar 29, 2024 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The largest country in South America, Brazil occupies almost half the continent. Nearly all of it is in the Southern Hemisphere, and much of it is tropical, with vast stretches of rainforest filled with exotic plants and wildlife.

Brazil's 7,400-kilometer Atlantic coast is lined with golden-sand beaches , and its interior is filled with mineral resources. Gold from Brazil's mines still lines the churches of Portugal, the colonial power that ruled Brazil until 1822. This strong Portuguese influence is evident in Brazil's colonial architecture , in decorative arts such as the glazed tiles in its churches and convents, and in the language.

For tourists, Brazil is both a tropical paradise and an exciting cultural destination with attractions for all tastes, from idyllic beach holidays and jungle explorations to world-class art museums and the pulsing rhythms of Rio's Carnival.

To discover the best places to visit and things to do, use this handy list of the top tourist attractions in Brazil.

1. Cristo Redentor and Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro

2. sugar loaf, rio de janeiro, 3. iguaçu falls, 4. copacabana, rio de janeiro, 5. amazon rainforests, 6. carnaval, rio de janeiro, 7. brasília's modernist architecture, 8. jericoacoara, 10. salvador's pelourinho, 11. ouro preto, 12. museu do amanhã (museum of tomorrow), 13. ibirapuera park, são paulo, 14. museu oscar niemeyer, curitiba, 15. botanical garden of curitiba, 16. porto de galinhas & pernambuco beaches, 17. art museums of sao paulo, 18. belo horizonte.

With arms outstretched 28 meters, as if to encompass all of humanity, the colossal Art Deco statue of Christ, called Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), gazes out over Rio de Janeiro, Sugar Loaf, and the bay from the summit of Corcovado. From here, you have possibly the best view in the city .

The 709-meter height on which it stands is part of the Tijuca National Park, and a railway climbs 3.5 kilometers to the top , where a broad plaza surrounds the statue. Completed in 1931, the 30-meter statue was the work of Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, and is constructed of reinforced concrete and soapstone.

The steep ride up to the statue on the railway is part of the attraction as it passes through a lush forest, home to a wide variety of tropical birds, butterflies, and plants.

• Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in Rio de Janeiro

The easily recognized emblem of Rio de Janeiro, the rounded rock peak of Sugar Loaf juts out of a tree-covered promontory, rising 394 meters above the beaches and city. From the summit are outstanding views of Rio and the harbor , as well as a stunning view of Christ the Redeemer. This is an absolute must-do when visiting the city but plan to do this on a clear day and preferably in the morning.

Part of the attraction is the thrill of riding the cable car between Sugar Loaf and the Morro da Urca , a lower peak from which a second cableway connects to the city.

Rio's first settlement began below these peaks, near the long Praia da Urca beach, and you can tour one of the three early forts there, the star-shaped Fort São João .

Iguaçu Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. At the point where Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina meet, the Iguaçu river drops spectacularly in a semicircle of 247 waterfalls that thunder down into the gorge below. Just above the falls, the river is constricted to one-fourth of its usual width, making the force of the water even stronger.

Some of the falls are more than 100 meters high and they cover such a broad area that you'll never see all of them at once, but you do get the broadest panorama from the Brazilian side. Catwalks and a tower give you different perspectives, and one bridge reaches all the way to one of the largest falls, known as the Garganta do Diabo (Devil's Throat).

You can cross to the Argentinian side for closer views from catwalks that extend farther into the center of the falls. The two sides offer different perspectives and views, so most tourists plan to see both.

The falls are protected by the UNESCO-acclaimed Iguaçu National Park , where subtropical rainforests are home to more than 1,000 species of birds and mammals, including deer, otters, ocelots, and capybaras.

In early November 2023, water flows that were ten times normal levels caused significant damage to many of the walkways in and around the falls. The most famous, the Devil's Throat, has reopened but the Garganta del Diablo will be closed for quite some time with no reopening date announced as of writing.

It's hard to think of Rio without conjuring up an image of Copacabana. This is Rio's playground, a popular escape from the heat filled with sun-worshipers, swimmers, and kids building sand castles. A seemingly endless assortment of beach shacks offer chair and umbrella rentals, snacks, drinks, and even free showers.

Downtown Rio's most famous section follows Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and is bordered all along one side by four kilometers of white sand and breaking surf .

The beach is separated from the buildings and traffic by a broad promenade paved in black and white mosaic in an undulating pattern reminiscent of streets in Lisbon, Portugal. Along this promenade, the famed Copacabana Palace is protected as a national monument. Inside this hotel's lobby, you can easily imagine seeing the royalty and film idols who have stayed here.

About 20 kilometers southeast of Manaus, the dark Rio Negro waters meet the light muddy water of the Rio Solimões, flowing side by side for about six kilometers before mixing as the Amazon. Boat trips from Manaus take you to this point, called Encontro das Aguas , meeting of the waters.

Other boat trips take you into the heart of the rainforests and the network of rivers, channels, and lakes formed by the three rivers. In the Rio Negro, the Anavilhanas Islands form an archipelago with lakes, streams, and flooded forests that offer a full cross-section of the Amazonian ecosystem.

You can see monkeys, sloths, parrots, toucans, caimans, turtles, and other wildlife on a boat trip here. Also close to Manaus, the 688-hectare Janauari Ecological Park has a number of different ecosystems that you can explore by boat along its narrow waterways.

An entire lake here is covered with giant water-lilies found only in the Amazon region. While in Manaus, be sure to see its famous Teatro Amazonas , the Italian Renaissance-style opera house, designed to put Manaus on the map as South America's great center of culture.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Manaus

Few shows match Rio's pre-Lenten Carnaval (Carnival) extravaganza for color, sound, action, and exuberance. Make no mistake, this is not just another rowdy street party, but a carefully staged showpiece, where spectators can watch the parades of competing samba dancers from a purpose-built stadium designed by none other than Brazil's best-known architect, Oscar Niemeyer.

Called the Sambódromo , this long series of grandstand boxes provides ringside seats to a 700-meter parade route where dancers and musicians from the competing samba schools strut their stuff in a dazzling explosion of brilliant costumes.

If mob scenes are less appealing to you than more spontaneous celebrations (that are equally riotous and colorful), you'll also find Carnivals in Salvador , Bahia, Recife, and other Brazilian cities.

Brazil's new city of Brasília was carved out of the wilderness and completed in less than three years to replace Rio de Janeiro as the country's capital in 1960. The ambitious plan by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer became a showpiece of city planning and avant-garde architecture, and it remains today as one of the world's few cities that represent a completed plan and a single architectural concept.

Without the normal mix of residential and business districts, the entire governmental section is composed of major architectural highlights, which are the city's main tourist attractions . Some of the most striking surround Praça dos Tràs Poderes : the presidential palace, supreme court, and the two sharply contrasting congress buildings, plus the Historical Museum of Brasília and the Panteão da Liberdade (Pantheon of Freedom), designed by Oscar Niemeyer.

That architect's best-known building in the city is the circular Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida , whose curved concrete columns rise to support a glass roof. Another of Niemeyer's landmark works is the Palácio dos Arcos , surrounded by beautiful gardens designed by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, who worked with Niemeyer on several projects throughout Brazil.

The round Memorial dos Povos Indígenas (Museum of Indigenous People) is patterned after a traditional Yąnomamö round house. But many consider Niemeyer's finest work to be the Monumento JK , a memorial to President Juscelino Kubitschek, the founder of Brasilia. Brasilia has been named a UNESCO World Heritage city.

If you've ever dreamed of a beachside village where all the streets are sand and like with good restaurants, decent hotels, and the odd donkey wandering around, Jericoacoara is the place for you. Jeri, as it's commonly referred to is, located within the confines of the spectacular Jericoacoara National Park , access is only through a huge expanse of massive sand dunes in a 4WD vehicle or, for the more adventurous, on the back of a beach buggy.

Each night the town comes alive when the mobile vendors set up shop on the sand and the band starts to play. Grab a bite from one of the small BBQ stands and catch the sunset as it sinks into the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, or even better secure a rooftop patio seat. Later on wander the sandy, pedestrian-only streets and enjoy a dinner with your toes in the sand. After dinner, check out one of the many boutiques featuring a variety of beach and resort clothing.

Windswept beaches run for hundreds of miles north and south of Jeri and this draws wind sport enthusiasts from around the world. Jeri is considered by many to be the best place in the world to go kiteboarding and as a result, draws a diverse set of participants from across the globe.

To experience the dunes or explore freshwater lagoons, where you can set up beachside at a restaurant and go for a swim, hire a buggy for the day , and go on an excursion. You can also head down towards Guiru or further along to Tatajuba to see or enjoy more kiteboarding. It's a fun trip that involves a river crossing on a small, flat barge.

You can fly directly to Jericoacoara . As an alternative, you can fly into Fortaleza and hire a car and driver to run you up the coast, which is about a five-hour drive . The best option is to stop off for a night or two along the way in some of the other beach towns like Cumbuco or Guajiru , both of which are popular kiteboarding areas.

Beyond the beaches of Copacabana, the glorious white sands merge into the just-as-famous beaches of Ipanema. The same wave design of Copacabana's wide promenade continues here, separating the sand from the line of hotels, restaurants, cafés, art galleries, and cinemas that make this a popular social zone year-round.

Farther along, beyond the Jardim de Alá Canal, which drains Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, are the beaches of Leblon . With more locals and fewer tourists, these beaches are favorites for families. Sunday is especially busy, with an antiques market at Praça de Quentaland and the Feira de Artesanato de Ipanema , alive with music, art, handicrafts, and street food.

The waves at Ipanema and Leblon can be very strong and unpredictable, so be careful where you swim. Follow the locals and stay out of the water where you don't see others swimming. If surf is what you're looking for, head to the stretch between Copacabana and Ipanema, where the surfers hang out.

The Cidade Alta (Upper Town) of Brazil's former colonial capital has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional collection of 17th- and 18th-century colonial buildings, the finest such ensemble in South America.

Called the Pelourinho, this old quarter is where you'll find Salvador's most beautiful churches and monasteries, built at a time when Brazil was the source of Portugal's riches, and the plentiful gold was lavished on the colony's religious buildings.

The finest and most opulent of the city's churches is São Francisco , built in the early 1700s and filled with intricate carvings covered in gold. In the choir and cloister, you can see excellent examples of Portuguese tile panels, called azulejos.

This was the friary church, and next to it is the church of the Franciscan Third Order. It's impossible to miss the riotously carved façade covered in statues and intricate decoration. The interior is just as ornate, surpassing even the Portuguese Baroque in its opulent detail.

• Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Salvador

The wealth of Brazil's state of Minas Gerais in its glory days of the colonial period is easy to imagine from the interiors of the churches in its old capital, Ouro Preto. Entire walls are washed in gold that flowed – along with diamonds – from the mines surrounding the city in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Cascading down the sides of a steep valley and surrounded by mountains, Ouro Preto is a jewel of a colonial town, but its steep narrow streets and mountain setting – however captivating for tourists today – didn't meet the needs of a growing provincial capital. The government moved to the newly built capital of Belo Horizonte, leaving Ouro Preto in its time capsule.

The 17th-century Baroque and Rococo churches of São Francisco de Assis and Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Pilar are the best examples, but the entire town is so rich in colonial architecture that Ouro Preto has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steep streets, so precipitous in places that they become stairways, are lined by gracious colonial mansions, and white churches crown its hills with Baroque bell towers.

The futuristic architecture of the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro gives a clue about its contents. Thought-provoking exhibits invite visitors to think about what the world might be like in the future, exploring scenarios of how our planet may change in the next half-century.

Examining these times of fast-moving changes in society, technology, and the physical world, the museum prompts viewers to consider various paths into the future, and how each opens up based on the choices made every day as individuals and as a society.

This eye-catching science museum overlooking the waterfront was designed by Spanish architect and artist, Santiago Calatrava.

Address: Praça Mauá 1, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The most visited park in South America, Ibirapuera Park is a vast green space designed by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, with buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The park is a showcase for modern architecture and a center for Brazilian culture.

Amid its monuments, gardens, playgrounds, trails, and lakes are museums and performance spaces that include Oscar Niemeyer's Auditório Ibirapuera , one of São Paulo's best concert venues. A Japanese Pavilion with sculptures, clothing, and traditional crafts is set in rock gardens with a fishpond.

The Museu da Aeronáutica e do Folclore , the Aeronautics and Folk Art Museum , features thousands of examples of folk arts and exhibits on traditional cultures from across Brazil. The lower floor is devoted to aeronautical equipment and model airplanes. A separate museum, the large Museu Afro-Brasil , features the culture and history of Afro-Brazilians and their contributions.

Address: Avenida Pedro Alvares Cabral, São Paulo

Paving the way for the unconventional building shapes created by later futurist architects such as Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava, Oscar Niemeyer left his native Brazil with a treasury of his most iconic buildings. One of these was built as the New Museum, completed in 2002 when Niemeyer was 95 years old, and renamed in tribute to him in 2003.

Balanced on a massive 60-foot pillar, the gallery is formed by a pair of joined arcs that resemble the shape of the human eye, hence its popular name, Museu do Olho – Eye Museum. Access to this raised structure is by a series of curved ramps. Inside the eye, the 2,000-square-foot gallery focuses on architecture, design, and the visual arts, and displays many of Niemeyer's works.

Niemeyer added a later rectangular gallery on the grounds to display changing exhibitions of works by contemporary Brazilian artists. In addition to visiting during its daytime open hours, try to see the Museu Oscar Niemeyer after dark, when it is spectacularly lighted.

Address: Rua Marechal Hermes 999, Curitiba

Reflecting the style of 17 th - and 18 th -century French palace gardens, Curitiba's Botanical Garden was opened in 1991. Formal beds are outlined by low sculpted hedges, in a geometric design inspired by the city's flag. The landscape is enlivened by fountains, waterfalls, and ponds, and in the park surrounding the gardens are forests of native trees, with walking paths.

The focal point of the botanical gardens is the main greenhouse, an Art Nouveau-style conservatory made of glass and white metal, reminiscent of the Crystal Palace in Victorian London. Its unusual shape includes three domes that merge into the rectangular base. Inside are plants native to the region.

Even the grass in the Garden of Native Plants of Curitiba is a native variety, and its flowers are especially attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. The Garden of the Senses (Jardim das Sensações) is a 200-yard path through a wisteria tunnel, where more than 70 plant species are chosen for their fragrance or tactile appeal. Visitors are invited to try walking through it blindfolded to fully appreciate the garden by using their other senses.

Behind the main greenhouse is the Frans Krajcberg Cultural Space, displaying more than 100 large sculptures created from the remains of trees that were burned or illegally cut, calling public attention to the destruction of Brazil's native forests.

The crystal waters, tall palm trees, and broad stretches of silver sand are only a few of the reasons why Porto de Galinhas is frequently cited as Brazil's best beach. For a country with more than 7,000 kilometers of Atlantic coast, much of it sandy beaches, that's saying a lot.

The town stretching along the beach is laid-back, colorful, and just the right blend of old-fashioned beach town fun and chic boutiques. Its hotels and resorts lie close to the land instead of soaring in high-rise blocks.

Jangadas, picturesque sailboats, will take you out to reef-top pools where brilliant tropical fish swim around your feet in ankle-deep water. You can also take a boat to a lagoon where tiny seahorses swim, and you can scuba dive to explore impressive coral reefs or shipwrecks, kayak in the lagoons and estuary, or buy a fanciful kite from a beach kiosk to fly in the steady breeze. Nearby Maracaipe is popular with surfers.

Porto de Galinhas is just one of the beautiful beaches on Pernambuco's 187-kilometer coast. Closer to Recife, 17th-century Olinda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking a popular beach. The main beaches in Recife itself are Praia da Boa Viagem, São José da Coroa Grande, and the Carne De Vaca.

São Paulo holds some of the best collections of fine arts in Latin America, and the buildings in which they are housed are architectural landmarks as well. The Museu de Arte, MASP, displays the continent's most comprehensive collection of western art, with representative works by artists from the Renaissance through modern masters.

There are 73 bronze sculptures by Degas and works by Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Miró. From its beginning, the museum has concentrated on works of mid- to late-20th-century artists, and the building designed by architect Lina Bo Bardi is a Modernist landmark.

Oscar Niemeyer designed the Pavilhão da Bienal de Artes in Ibirapuera Park , home to the Museu de Arte Contemporânea. More than 8,000 works of art - one of Latin America's largest collections of 20th-century Western artists - includes Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, Miró, and Modigliani along with major Brazilian painters.

Set above Versailles-inspired formal gardens, Museu do Ipiranga houses paintings and decorative arts.

For another kind of art, don't miss Batman's Alley , an open-air gallery of street art by local and international artists. It is in the bohemian Vila Madalena neighborhood, where you'll also find art galleries showing the works of well-known and rising Brazilian artists and craftspeople.

• Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in São Paulo

The capital of the state of Minas Gerais gave the pre-eminent Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer his first commissions, and today, these early Niemeyer buildings draw tourists and fans of Modernist architecture to the city.

His first major work, which immediately set him apart from conventional architects, was the parabolic-curved São Francisco de Assis church, beside a lake in the Pampulha neighborhood. On the hillside above it, and connected by gardens designed by landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, is Niemeyer's earlier casino building, now an art museum.

Overlooking the large Praça da Liberdade in the city center is the sinuous apartment building, Edificio Niemeyer , one of his most famous early works. The clean geometric lines of his later Palácio das Artes mark the edge of the Municipal Park, housing the Minas Gerais Craft Center featuring works of contemporary craftsmen.

The postmodern Rainha da Sucata – Queen of Scrap Iron – is another landmark building in Belo Horizonte, this one the work of Éolo Maia and Sylvio Podestá. It now houses the mineralogy museum.

Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in Belo Horizonte & Easy Day Trips

More on Brazil

• Travel Tips Brazil for planning and on the go

Book your individual trip , stress-free with local travel experts

• roughguides.com
• South America
• travel-advice
• Travel guide
• Itineraries
• Local Experts
• Travel Advice
• Accommodation

Plan your tailor-made trip with a local expert

Book securely with money-back guarantee

Travel stress-free with local assistance and 24/7 support

Just wanted to say that it was incredible. Trip Provider was also incredibly good, and really made their best effort to solve any problems. We were very im...

More travel information for Brazil

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Brazil

• Eating and drinking in Brazil
• How to get to Brazil
• Getting around Brazil: Transportation Tips
• Electricity

Electricity supplies vary – sometimes 110V and sometimes 220V – so check before plugging anything in. Plugs have two round pins, as in continental Europe.

Gay and lesbian travel

Opening hours and public holidays, tourist information, travellers with disabilities, costs and money in brazil, crime and safety in brazil, health advice for brazil, the media in brazil, travelling with children in brazil, tailor-made travel itineraries for brazil, created by local experts.

9 days  / from 2042 USD

Brazilian Beaches: Copacabana, Botafogo and more

Begin at Foz do Iguaçu, where you will stand in awe of the huge Iguaçu Falls. Next up, we'll head to the lively city of Rio de Janeiro, home of the legendary Copacabana, Botafogo and Flamengo beaches, and of course, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue.

10 days  / from 1700 USD

Blissful Brazil

Welcome to a lavish journey that marries adventure with style, featuring stays in carefully chosen four-star hotels. This reinvigorating trip will have you sightseeing in São Paulo, gazing at the spectacular Foz do Iguaçu falls and relaxing on Rio's finest beaches before you know it.

10 days  / from 2683 USD

Breathtaking Brazil: Rio, Beaches and Waterfalls

Explore the lively city of Rio de Janeiro, home to Ipanema and Copacabana beaches; experience the stunning Foz do Iguaçu National Park and see the world’s largest waterfalls system; immerse yourself in cultural Salvador, the magnificent former capital of Portugal’s New World colony.

Gay life in Brazil thrives, especially in the large cities, Rio in particular being one of the great gay cities of the world. In general, the scene benefits from Brazil’s hedonistically relaxed attitudes towards sexuality in general, and the divide between gay and straight nightlife is often very blurred.

Attitudes vary from region to region. The two most popular gay destinations are Rio and Salvador. Rural areas and small towns, especially in Minas Gerais, the Northeast and the South, are conservative; the medium-sized and larger cities less so. A useful resource to consult before your trip is w www.guiagaybrasil.com.br ; although the text is in Portuguese, there are enough English indicators to allow non-Portuguese speakers to navigate easily through it and benefit from the listings and tips.

Prior to travelling, you should take out an insurance policy to cover against theft, loss and illness or injury. Before paying for a new policy, however, it’s worth checking whether you already have some degree of coverage – credit-card companies, home-insurance policies and private medical plans sometimes cover you and your belongings when you’re abroad. Most travel agents, tour operators, banks and insurance brokers will be able to help you. Remember that when securing baggage insurance, make sure that the per-article limit – typically under £500 equivalent – will cover your most valuable possession.

Even the humblest hotel has a lavadeira , who will wash and iron your clothes. Agree on a price beforehand, but don’t be too hard – livelihoods are at stake. Larger hotels have set prices for laundry services – usually, surprisingly expensive. Very common in larger cities are lavandarías , which operate a very useful por peso system – the clothes are weighed at the entrance, you pay per kilo, and pick them up washed and folded the next day for a couple of dollars per kilo. Ironing ( passar ) costs a little more.

A post office is called a correio , identifiable by their bright yellow postboxes and signs. An imposing Correios e Telégrafos building will always be found in the centre of a city of any size, but there are also small offices and kiosks scattered around that only deal with mail. Queues are often a problem, but you can save time by using one of their franking machines for stamps; the lines move much more quickly. Stamps ( selos ) are most commonly available in two varieties, either for mailing within Brazil or abroad. A foreign postage stamp costs around R$1.70 for either a postcard or a letter up to 10g. It is expensive to send parcels abroad.

Mail within Brazil takes three or four days, longer in the North and Northeast, while airmail letters to Europe and North America usually take about a week. Surface mail takes about a month to North America, and two to Europe. Although the postal system is generally very reliable, it is not advisable to send valuables through the mail.

We’ve provided maps of all the major towns and cities and various other regions. More detailed maps are surprisingly hard to get hold of outside Brazil and are rarely very good: there are plenty of maps of South America, but the only widely available one that is specifically of Brazil is the Bartholomew Brazil & Bolivia (1:5,000,000), which is not very easy to read. Much better are the six regional maps in the Mapa Rodoviário Touring series (1:2,500,000), which clearly mark all the major routes, although these, even in Brazil, are difficult to find.

A useful compendium of city maps and main road networks is published by Guias Quatro Rodas, a Brazilian motoring organization, which also has maps to Rio, São Paulo and other cities, states and regions. These are easy to find in bookstores, newsagents and magazine stalls. Very clear 1:960,000 maps of individual states are published by On Line Editora, and are usually available in Brazilian bookstores and newspaper kiosks; topographical and hiking maps are difficult to come by, though very occasionally they are available from municipal tourist offices or national parks in Brazil, or from local trekking equipment shops or tour operators.

Basic hours for most stores and businesses are from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to noon, with an extended lunch hour from around noon to 2pm. Shops in malls stay open until late Saturday night. Banks open at 10am, and stay open all day, but usually stop changing money at either 2pm or 3pm; except for those at major airports, they’re closed at weekends and on public holidays. Museums and monuments more or less follow office hours but many are closed on Monday.

Phones are operated by phonecards ( cart ã o telefônico ), which are on sale everywhere – from newspaper stands, street sellers’ trays and most cafés. For local calls, a 5- real card will last for several conversations; for long-distance or international calls, higher-value phonecards come in 10, 20, 50 or 100 real denominations. Calls to the US or Europe cost about US$1.50 per minute. Before dialling direct, lift the phone from the hook, insert the phonecard and listen for a dialling tone. Note that long-distance calls are cheaper after 8pm.

The dialling tone is a single continuous note, engaged is rapid pips, and the ringing tone is regular peals, as in the US. The phone system in Brazil is continually overloaded. If you get an engaged tone, keep trying – nine times out of ten, the phone is not actually engaged and you get through after seven or eight attempts. The smaller the place, the more often you need to try.

Long-distance and international calls can also be made from a posto telefônico , which all operate in the same way: you ask at the counter for a chave , are given a numbered key, go to the booth, insert the key and turn it to the right, and can then make up to three completed calls. You are billed when you return the key. To make a call between cities, you need to dial the trunk code, the código DDD (pronounced “daydayday”), listed at the front of phone directories. For international calls, ask for chamada internacional ; a reverse-charge call is a chamada a cobrar . Reversing the charges costs about twice as much as paying locally, and it is much cheaper to use a telephone charge-card from home. Except in the most remote parts of Amazônia and the Northeast, everything from a small town upwards has a posto , though note that outside large cities they shut at 10pm.

Long-distance telephone access codes

The privatization of Brazil’s telephone system has led to a proliferation of new telephone companies and increased competition. Before making a national or international call you must now select the telephone company you wish to use by inserting a two-digit code between the zero and the area code or country code of the number you are calling. To call Rio, for example, from anywhere else in the country, you would dial zero + phone company code + city code followed by the seven-digit number. For local calls, you simply dial the seven- or eight-digit number.

As different phone companies predominate in different areas of the country, pay phones will display which company code should be used from that particular phone, or the hotel receptionist will let you know the correct code to be used if calling from your hotel. The commonest codes are 21, 23 and 14. If you want to reverse the charges, dial 90 and then the number with company code as above. To reverse the charges on an international call, dial 00080 followed by the country code. As ever, the simplest option to make international calls is a phonecard bought before you leave.

Most of Brazil is three hours behind GMT, but the states of Amazonas, Acre, Rondônia, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul are four hours behind – that includes the cities of Manaus, Corumbá, Rio Branco, Porto Velho, Cuiabá and Campo Grande.

Bills usually come with ten percent taxa de serviço included, in which case you don’t have to tip – ten percent is about right if it is not included. Waiters and some hotel employees depend on tips. You don’t have to tip taxi drivers (though they won’t say no), but you are expected to tip barbers, hairdressers, shoeshine kids, self-appointed guides and porters. It’s useful to keep change handy for them – and for beggars.

You’ll find tourist information fairly easy to come by once in Brazil, and there are some sources to be tapped before you leave home. Brazil’s embassies or larger consulates have tourist sections, where you can pick up brochure information and advice.

Popular destinations such as Rio, Salvador, the Northeast beach resorts, and towns throughout the South have efficient and helpful tourist offices , but anywhere off the beaten track has nothing at all – only Manaus, Belém and Porto Velho have offices in the Amazon region, for example.

Most state capitals have tourist information offices, which are announced by signs saying Informações Turísticas . Many of these provide free city maps and booklets, but they are usually all in Portuguese. As a rule, only the airport tourist offices have hotel-booking services , and none of them is very good on advising about budget accommodation. Tourist offices are run by the different state and municipal governments, so you have to learn a new acronym every time you cross a state line. In Rio, for example, you’ll find TurisRio, which advises on the state, and Riotur, which provides information on the city. There’s also EMBRATUR , the national tourist organization, but it doesn’t have direct dealings with the general public apart from its excellent website.

Travelling in Brazil for people with disabilities is likely to be difficult if special facilities are required. For example, access even to recently constructed buildings may be impossible, as lifts are often too narrow to accept wheelchairs or there may be no lift at all. In general, though, you’ll find that hotel and restaurant staff are helpful and will do their utmost to be of assistance to try to make up for the deficiencies in access and facilities.

Buses in cities are really only suitable for the agile; taxis , however, are plentiful, and most can accommodate wheelchairs. Long-distance buses are generally quite comfortable, with the special leito services offering fully reclining seats. Internal airlines are helpful, and wheelchairs are available at all the main airports.

The cost of living in Brazil is low outside the main tourist spots, and even within them shopping around can lower costs a lot. Europeans will mostly think Brazil cheap, North Americans a little less so but still comparing favourably with the US for most things. Particularly reasonable are hotels (except in Rio), foodstuffs (including eating out) and bus travel, while most museums are free. The exception is internal plane tickets, which a near-monopoly between TAM and Gol make expensive, unless you have an airpass. Other relatively expensive things are sunblock, good-quality clothing, cameras and anything to do with computers (except internet cafés, which are very cheap).

On the whole, Brazil is very much a viable destination for the budget traveller. The cheapness of food and budget hotels – and the fact that the best attractions, such as the beaches, are free – still make it possible to have an enjoyable time on a budget of less than R$125 a day. Staying in good hotels, travelling by comfortable buses or planes and not stinting on the extras is likely to cost you around R$400 a day.

The Brazilian currency is the real (pronounced “hey-al”); its plural is reís (pronounced “hey-ice”), written R$. The real is made up of one hundred centavos, written ¢. The rather pleasing notes, themed after Brazilian wildlife and all the same size but different colours, are for 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 reís; coins are 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 centavos and the 1 real. You will occasionally see a tattered R$1 note but these are being phased out, although they are legal tender. Throughout the Guide, all prices are given in Brazilian reís unless otherwise noted. However, US dollars and euros are easy enough to change in banks and exchange offices anywhere, and are also readily accepted by luxury hotels, tour companies and souvenir shops in the big cities.

Changing money in Brazil is simple; just take your bank or credit card with PIN (Personal Identification Number, which you must set up with your bank before your trip), and use ATMs – they are now ubiquitous in Brazil, to be found in most supermarkets, many pharmacies and all airports, as well as banks. Only Visa cards can be used to withdraw cash advances at the ATMs of Banco do Brasil and Banco Bradesco; only MasterCard at HSBC, Itaú and Banco Mercantil. Increasing numbers of Brazilian banks are linking their cash dispensers to the Cirrus and Maestro networks; the most reliable and widespread is the Banco 24 Horas network and HSBC. One important thing to note is that for security reasons most bank ATMs stop dispensing cash after 8pm, although Banco 24 Horas in large supermarkets will dispense until 10pm. Airport ATMs are the only ones that dispense cash all hours.

The main credit cards are widely accepted by shops, hotels and restaurants throughout Brazil, even in rural areas. MasterCard and Visa are the most prevalent, with Diners Club and American Express also widespread. It’s a good idea to inform your credit-card issuer about your trip before you leave so that the card isn’t stopped for uncharacteristic use.

Given the ease of using plastic, traveller’s cheques are not recommended, unless you want a small emergency reserve. Only the head offices of major banks (Banco do Brasil, HSBC, Banco Itaú, Banespa) will have an exchange department (ask for câmbio); whether changing cash or traveller’s cheques, you’ll need your passport. You can also change cash and traveller’s cheques in smart hotels and in some large travel agencies. Airport banks are open seven days a week, others only Monday to Friday.

Exchange rates were stable in the US$1.80–2.20 range for years but rose against the dollar with the financial crisis of late 2008, making Brazil cheaper for North Americans but more expensive for Europeans, especially Britons. But since Brazil’s newfound economic stability means it is now well placed to weather crises, exchange-rate turbulence is unlikely to be a feature of your stay. You will see two rates quoted in hotels: the oficial, or interbank rate, which you will be able to get in a casa de câmbio, an exchange counter in a travel agency or specialized exchange dealer (although these are now thin on the ground), and the turismo, a few cents less – more in hotels, where they bank on the ignorance of the clientele. Rates out of ATMs are usually the oficial, making plastic an even better option.

Brazil has a reputation as a rather dangerous place, and while it’s not entirely undeserved, it is often overblown and you should not let fear overshadow your stay. If you take the precautions outlined below, you are extremely unlikely to come to any harm – although you might still have something stolen somewhere along the way. The tips in this section apply everywhere, but be particularly alert in Rio, Salvador and Recife.

Criminals know that any injury to a foreign tourist is going to mean a heavy clampdown, which in turn means no pickings for a while. So unless you resist during an incident, nothing is likely to happen to you. That said, having a knife or a gun held on you is something of a shock: it’s very difficult to think rationally. But if you are unlucky enough to be the victim of an assalto (a hold-up), try to remember that it’s your possessions rather than you that are the target. Your money and anything you’re carrying will be snatched, your watch will get pulled off your wrist, but within a couple of seconds it will be over. On no account resist: it isn’t worth the risk.

Taking precautions

As a rule, assaltos are most common in the larger cities, and are rare in the countryside and towns. Most assaltos take place at night, in backstreets with few people around, so stick to busy, well-lit streets; in a city, it’s always a lot safer to take a taxi than walk. Also, prepare for the worst by locking your money and passport in the hotel safe – the one in your room is more secure than the one at reception. If you must carry them, make sure they’re in a moneybelt or a concealed internal pocket. Do not carry your valuables in a pouch hanging from your neck. Only take along as much money as you’ll need for the day, but do take at least some money, as the average assaltante won’t believe a gringo could be out of money, and might get rough. Don’t wear an expensive watch or jewellery: if you need a watch you can always buy a cheap plastic digital one on a street corner. And keep wallets and purses out of sight – pockets with buttons or zips are best.

You need to take special care when carrying a laptop – around business-oriented airports, like Congonhas in São Paulo and Santos Dumont in Rio, laptop stealing has become epidemic. Scouts wait at exits and phone ahead to thieves on motorbikes, who pull alongside your taxi when it is stuck in traffic and tap on the window with a revolver. Conceal laptops inside bags that do not look like computer bags, and try to avoid looking like a businessperson even if you are one.

More common than an assalto is a simple theft, a furto. Brand-new, designer-label bags are an obvious target, so go for the downmarket look. You’re at your most vulnerable when travelling and though the luggage compartments of buses are pretty safe – remember to get a baggage check from the person putting them in and don’t throw it away – the overhead racks inside are less safe; keep an eye on things you stash there, especially on night journeys. On a city beach, never leave things unattended while you take a dip: any beachside bar will stow things for you. Most hotels (even the cheaper ones) will have a safe, a caixa, and unless you have serious doubts about the place you should lock away your most valuable things: the better the hotel, the more secure it’s likely to be. In cheaper hotels, where rooms are shared, the risks are obviously greater – some people take along a small padlock for extra security and many wardrobes in cheaper hotels have latches fitted for this very purpose. Finally, take care at Carnaval as it’s a notorious time for pickpockets and thieves.

At international airports, particularly Rio and São Paulo, certain scams operate; for instance, well-dressed and official-looking men target tourists arriving off international flights in the arrivals lounge, identify themselves as policemen, often flashing a card, and tell the tourists to go with them. The tourists are then pushed into a car outside and robbed. If anyone, no matter how polite or well dressed they are, or how good their English is, identifies themselves as a policeman to you, be instantly on your guard – real policemen generally leave foreigners well alone. They won’t try anything actually inside a terminal building, so go to any airline desk or grab one of the security guards, and on no account leave the terminal building with them or leave any luggage in their hands.

If you are robbed or held up, it’s not necessarily a good idea to go to the police. Except with something like a theft from a hotel room, they’re very unlikely to be able to do anything, and reporting something can take hours even without the language barrier. You may have to do it for insurance purposes, when you’ll need a local police report: this could take an entire, and very frustrating, day to get, so think first about how badly you want to be reimbursed. If your passport is stolen, go to your consulate and they’ll smooth the path.

If you have to deal with the police, there are various kinds. The best are usually the Polícia de Turismo, or tourist police, who are used to tourists and their problems and often speak some English, but they’re thin on the ground outside Rio. In a city, their number should be displayed on or near the desk of all hotels. The most efficient police by far are the Polícia Federal, the Brazilian equivalent of the American FBI, who deal with visas and their extension; they have offices at frontier posts, airports and ports and in state capitals. The ones you see on every street corner are the Polícia Militar, with blue or green uniforms and caps. They look mean – and very often are – but, apart from at highway road blocks, they generally leave gringos alone. There is also a plain-clothes Polícia Civil, to whom thefts are reported if there is no tourist police post around – they are overworked, underpaid and extremely slow. If you decide to go to the police in a city where there is a consulate, get in touch with the consulate first and do as they tell you.

The drug wars in the favelas that you will have heard about and may well see on local TV during your stay are very localized and unlikely to have any impact on foreign tourists. But you should be extremely careful about using drugs in Brazil. Marijuana – maconha – is common, but you are in trouble if the police find any on you. You’ll be able to bribe your way out of it, but it will cost you the daily withdrawal limit on whatever plastic you have. Foreigners sometimes get targeted for a shakedown and have drugs planted on them – the area around the Bolivian border has a bad reputation for this – in order to get a bribe out of them. If this happens to you, deny everything, refuse to pay and insist on seeing a superior officer and telephoning the nearest consulate – though this approach is only for the patient.

Cocaine is not as common as you might think, as most of it simply passes through Brazil from Bolivia or Colombia bound for Europe. Nevertheless, the home market has grown in recent years, controlled by young and vicious gang-leaders from the favelas of the major cities.

Be careful about taking anything illegal on buses: they are sometimes stopped and searched at state lines. The stupidest thing you could do would be to take anything illegal anywhere near Bolivia, as buses heading to or from that direction get vigorously searched by the federais. Much the same can be said of smuggling along the rivers into Peru and Colombia: don’t even think about it.

There are no compulsory vaccinations required to enter the country from Europe or North America (although you may need a yellow fever certificate entering from another South American country), but certain precautions should be taken, especially if you’re staying for any length of time or visiting more remote regions. Taking out travel insurance is vital, and you should be especially aware of HIV and dengue fever, a significant problem in Rio during the Brazilian summer (Dec–April). But you should not let health issues make you unduly paranoid – if you need it, good medical care is available cheaply for all but the most serious of problems.

Pharmacies and medical treatment

Most standard drugs are available in pharmacies (farmácias), which you’ll find everywhere – no prescriptions are necessary. A pharmacy will also give injections (unless you’ve already had one, you’ll need a tetanus jab if you get bitten by a dog) and free medical advice, and they’re a good first line of defence if you fall ill.

If you are unlucky enough to need medical treatment in Brazil, forget about the public hospitals – as a foreigner, you have virtually no chance of getting a bed unless you have an infectious disease, and the level of health care offered by most is appalling. You can get good medical and dental care privately: North Americans will think it fairly inexpensive, Europeans used to state-subsidized health care will not. A doctor’s visit will cost on average US$40–75; drugs are relatively cheap. Hotels in big cities will have lists of English-speaking doctors; ask for a médico. Outside the larger centres, you will probably have to try out your Portuguese. Any Brazilian doctor will also understand – although not necessarily speak – Spanish.

Food and water

Many diseases are directly or indirectly related to impure water and contaminated food, and care should be taken in choosing what to eat and drink.

You should, of course, take particular care with seafood, especially shellfish – don’t eat anything that’s at all suspicious. Fruit and salad ingredients should be washed in bottled or purified water or, preferably, peeled. Ultimately, you are going to run some risks with food, so if you’re going to enjoy your stay to the full, you can’t be too paranoid.

Even in the most remote towns and villages mineral water (água mineral), either sparkling (com gás) or still (sem gás), is easily available and cheap. To avoid dehydration be sure to drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids, always carry a bottle of water on long trips, and check that the seal on any bottled water you use is intact.

As with food, it’s difficult to be on guard all the time whilst drinking; fruit juices are often diluted with water, and ice is rarely made with filtered water outside a smart hotel. It is not realistic to restrict all water intake to mineral water, but if you are sensible you can at least minimize risk.

Chagas’ disease

A serious disease you should guard against is Chagas’ disease, which is endemic in parts of the Northeast and the Amazon. Although it is difficult to catch, it can lead to serious heart and kidney problems that appear up to twenty years after infection. The disease is carried in the faeces of beetles that live in the cracks of adobe walls, so if sleeping in an adobe hut, make sure nothing can crawl into your hammock; either use a mosquito net or sling the hammock as far from walls as you can. The beetle bites and then defecates next to the spot: scratching of the bite will rub in the infected faeces, so before scratching a bite that you know wasn’t caused by a mosquito, bathe it in alcohol. If you are infected, you will have a fever for a few days that will then clear up as if nothing untoward happened. Though the disease can be treated in its early stages, it becomes incurable once established. If you travel through a Chagas area and get an undiagnosed fever, have a blood test as soon as possible afterwards.

Dengue fever

Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by mosquito bites, is increasingly common in all Brazilian cities save the extreme south of the country. Rio has been particularly badly affected in recent years, as the spectacular incompetence of its city government has allowed the mosquito problem to get out of hand. It is highly seasonal, peaking in the southern hemisphere summer (Dec–April). The symptoms are debilitating rather than dangerous: light but persistent fever, tiredness, muscle and joint pains, especially in the fingers, and nausea and vomiting. It is easily treatable, but you will feel pretty grim for a week or so. It is much more widespread than any other disease in urban areas, and is currently the focus of much educational and preventive work by the Brazilian government. The same precautions against mosquito bites outlined in the section on malaria above apply here. The difference is that the dengue mosquito comes out during the day rather than at night. Be cautious in urban environments around anything that could act as a water retainer and thus as a mosquito breeding ground: drainage channels, old oil drums and tyres, abandoned lots, swampy areas in general.

There is one dangerous form of dengue, hemorraghic dengue, which kills hundreds of people a year in Brazil. Tourists tend not to get it, since you almost always need to have had a previous attack of dengue to be vulnerable to it. It is particularly dangerous to children. The body’s immune system is provoked to attack itself by the dengue virus, resulting in internal bleeding that can quickly get out of hand. If dengue-like symptoms are accompanied by bleeding from the nose and ears or highly bloodshot eyes, get yourself to a private hospital fast. Even if you are unlucky enough to get it, in the vast majority of cases getting timely treatment will mean a few days in hospital is all that’s needed for complete recovery. You will feel very weak and should take things easy for a couple of weeks after you leave hospital, however.

Diarrhoea, dysentery and giardia

Diarrhoea is something everybody gets at some stage, and there’s little to be done except drink a lot (but not alcohol) and bide your time. You should also replace salts either by taking oral rehydration salts or by mixing a teaspoon of salt and eight of sugar in a litre of purified water. You can minimize the risk by being sensible about what you eat, and by not drinking tap water anywhere. This isn’t difficult, given the extreme cheapness and universal availability of soft drinks and água mineral, while Brazilians are great believers in herbal teas, which often help alleviate cramps.

If your diarrhoea contains blood or mucus, the cause may be dysentery or giardia. With a fever, it could well be caused by bacillic dysentery and may clear up without treatment. If you’re sure you need it, a course of antibiotics such as tetracyclin or ampicillin (travel with a supply if you are going off the beaten track for a while) should sort you out, but they also destroy “gut flora” that help protect you. Similar symptoms without fever indicate amoebic dysentery, which is much more serious, and can damage your gut if untreated. The usual cure is a course of metronidazole (Flagyl), an antibiotic that may itself make you feel ill, and should not be taken with alcohol. Similar symptoms, plus rotten-egg belches and farts, indicate giardia, for which the treatment is again metronidazole. If you suspect you have any of these, seek medical help, and only start on the metronidazole (750mg three times daily for a week for adults) if there is definitely blood in your diarrhoea and it is impossible to see a doctor.

Hepatitis A

Wherever you go, protection against hepatitis A is a sensible precaution. The disease is transmitted through contaminated water and food, resulting in fever and diarrhoea, and it can also cause liver damage. Gammaglobulin injections, one before you go and boosters every six months, are the standard protection. If you plan to spend much time in Amazônia or the Northeast, or if you know that you will be travelling rough, it’s well worth protecting yourself. If you have had jaundice, you may well have immunity and should have a blood test to see if you need the injections. A newer vaccine – Havrix – is very effective and lasts for up to ten years.

HIV and AIDS

Brazil has a relatively high number of people with AIDS and HIV. There are many reasons for this: a scandalous lack of screening of either blood donors or supplies in the 1980s; the level of gay sex between Brazilian men, among whom bisexuality is common; the popularity of anal sex, not least among heterosexual couples; and the sharing of needles among drug users in large cities. But Brazil has been a world leader in dealing with the epidemic. It faced down international drug companies in the late 1990s with the threat that they would independently manufacture AIDS drugs – with the result that all HIV-positive Brazilians now receive free anti-retroviral medicines in a programme that has become a global model for developing countries. Brazil also has some of the funniest and most imaginative safe-sex campaigns anywhere, particularly in evidence during Carnaval.

A straightforward understanding of the disease and how it is transmitted is the best defence. Firstly, HIV is not evenly distributed throughout Brazil. A majority of HIV carriers are concentrated in the big cities. As anywhere else, sex with a prostitute is a high-risk activity. The situation with blood and blood products has now improved enormously, but in remoter parts of the country, especially the Amazon, make sure that if you have an injection it is with a needle you see being removed from its packaging. Finally, use a condom. Only a tiny minority of sexually active Brazilian men carry them as a matter of course. They are widely available in pharmacies, where you should ask for a camisinha.

Malaria is endemic in northern Brazil, and anyone intending to travel in Amazônia should take precautions very seriously. You are safe if you are only visiting cities and towns, where intensive campaigns keep malarial mosquitoes at a distance, and if your visit will be restricted to Manaus, Santarém and Belém you can forego prophylaxis. Mosquitoes are also not a problem on river journeys, since the breezes keep them off, and they are much less common in black-water river systems – such as the River Negro, where jungle lodges around Manaus are concentrated – where malaria is rare.

If you will be sleeping in a rural area anywhere else in the Amazon, however, it is a good idea to take precautions. In recent years, rates have climbed as mosquitoes have become more resistant to insecticides and drugs, and a few unwary tourists die avoidably every year. Southern Pará state and much of rural Rondônia state are the riskiest areas for malaria. However, with simple precautions you can minimize the chances of getting it even in highly malarial areas, and, properly treated, a dose of malaria should be no worse than a severe bout of flu. But make no mistake – unless you follow the precautions outlined here, and take malaria prophylaxis when appropriate, malaria can kill.

There are two kinds of malaria in Brazil: falciparum, which is more serious but less common, and vivax. Both are transmitted by anopheles mosquitoes, which are most active at sunrise and for an hour or so before sunset. Even in very malarial areas, only around five percent of anopheles are infected with malarial parasites, so the more you minimize mosquito bites, the less likely you are to catch it. Use insect repellent: the most commonly used in Brazil is Autan, often in combination with Johnson’s Baby Oil to minimize skin irritation. The most effective mosquito repellents – worth looking out for before you leave home – contain DEET (diethyl toluamide). DEET is strong stuff, so follow the manufacturers’ instructions, particularly with use on children. If you have sensitive skin, a natural alternative is citronella or, in the UK, Mosi-guard Natural, made from a blend of eucalyptus oils (though still use DEET on clothes and nets). Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, shoes and socks during the times of day when mosquitoes are most active. Sleep under a sheet and, crucially, use a mosquito net. Nets for hammocks (mosqueteiro para rede) are reasonable and easily available in Amazonian cities and towns. Mosquito coils also help keep the insects at bay.

When taking preventive tablets it’s important to keep a routine and cover the period before and after your trip with doses. Doctors can advise on which kind to take. As resistance to chloroquin-based drugs increases, mefloquin, which goes under the brand name of Lariam, has become the recommended prophylactic for most travellers to Brazil. This has very strong side effects, and its use is controversial.

Malaria has an incubation period of around two weeks. The first signs of malaria are remarkably similar to flu – muscle pains, weakness and pain in the joints, which will last for a day or two before the onset of malaria fever proper – and may take months to appear: if you suspect anything go to a hospital or clinic immediately. You need immediate treatment and a blood test to identify the strain. Malaria treatment is one public-health area where Brazil can take some credit. Dotted in malarial parts of the Amazon are small malaria control posts and clinics, run by the anti-malaria agency SUCAM – ask for the posto da SUCAM. They may not look like much, but the people who staff them are very experienced and know their local strains better than any city specialist. Treatment in a posto is free, and if you do catch malaria you should get yourself taken to one as quickly as possible; don’t shiver in your hammock and wait for it to pass. It often does, but it can also kill. If in a city and you get the same symptoms (a fever and the shakes), make sure you get a blood test right away; you’ll get your results in a few hours, and quick diagnosis is vital. Remember that the incubation period means that the symptoms may only appear after you return home – make sure to tell your doctor where you’ve been if you get a fever shortly after your return home.

Malaria is a much more serious issue for a child. We specifically recommend avoiding the state of Rondônia other than Porto Velho, rural Acre and Amapá and southern Pará if you are travelling with children.

Yellow fever

Getting a yellow fever vaccination, which offers protection for ten years, is recommended if you’re going to Amazônia, Goiás or Mato Grosso. This viral disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal, but is extremely rare even in places where it is endemic. Symptoms include headache, fever, abdominal pain and vomiting, and though victims may appear to recover, without medical help they may suffer from bleeding, shock and kidney and liver failure. While you’re waiting for help, it is important to keep the fever as low as possible and prevent dehydration.

In the Amazon

Given the remoteness of many parts of the Amazon and the prevalence of insects and snakes, health care takes on a special significance. If you are trekking through forest or savanna, long trousers are a good idea, and it is vital to wear good boots that protect your ankles from snake bites, chiggers (mites) and scorpions. You should never trek alone.

Snakes are timid and, unless you’re unlucky, only attack if you step on them. Many of the most poisonous snakes are tiny, easily able to snuggle inside a shoe or a rucksack pocket. Always shake out your hammock and clothes, keep rucksack pockets tightly closed and take special care when it rains, as snakes, scorpions and other nasty beasties quite sensibly head for shelter in huts. If you do get bitten by a snake, try to kill it for identification – but only if this can easily be done. Use a shoelace or a torn piece of shirt wound round the limb with a stick as a tourniquet, which you should repeatedly tighten for twenty seconds and then release for a minute, to slow down the action of the poison. Contrary to popular belief, cutting yourself and sucking out blood will do you more harm than good. It goes without saying that you should get yourself to a doctor as soon as possible. If you are well off the beaten track, health posts in the nearest town may have serum, but you must know the type of snake involved.

Due to the humidity, any cut or wound gets infected very easily. Always clean cuts or bites with alcohol or purified water before dressing. As a general rule, leave all insects alone and never handle them. Even the smallest ants, caterpillars and bees can give you nasty stings and bites, and scorpions, large soldier ants and some species of bee will give you a fever for a day or two as well.

As in the US, Brazil has a regional press rather than a national one. Even the top Rio and São Paulo papers are a little parochial; elsewhere, newspapers are at best mediocre but are always valuable for listings of local events. Brazil also boasts a lurid but entertaining yellow press, specializing in gruesome murders, political scandals and football.

Newspapers and magazines

The top newspapers are the slightly left-of-centre Folha de São Paulo and the Rio-based, right-of-centre O Globo, usually available, a day late, in large cities throughout the country. Both are independent and have extensive international news, cultural coverage and entertainment listings, but are respectable rather than exciting. Even stodgier but reasonable is the right-wing Estado de São Paulo, while the Gazeta Mercantil and Valor Econômico are high-quality equivalents of the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal. The most enjoyable of the yellow press is Rio’s Última Hora, especially good for beginners in Portuguese, with a limited vocabulary and lots of pictures, but all major cities have similar local tabloids.

There are also two good weekly current-affairs magazines: Veja and Isto É. They are expensive, around US$5, since their readership is exclusively middle class. You will find Brazilian editions of most major fashion and women’s magazines. The weekly Placar is essential for anyone wanting to get to serious grips with Brazilian football. Vogue Brasil, edited in São Paulo and published by Condé Nast, is a quality magazine offering great insight into the style of the Brazilian elite, while Plástica is a glossy monthly magazine that sheds light on Brazil’s apparent obsession with plastic surgery.

Apart from in airports, Rio and São Paulo, where you can find the International Herald Tribune and the Economist, English-language newspapers and magazines are very difficult to find in Brazil. The exceptions are Time and Newsweek, which are widely available in newspaper kiosks in big cities, albeit often weeks old.

Radio is always worth listening to if only for the music. FM stations abound everywhere, and you should always be able to find a station that plays local music. Shortwave reception for the BBC World Service is good in Brazil.

Brazilian TV is ghastly, the worst you are ever likely to see, and therefore compulsive viewing even if you don’t understand a word of Portuguese. There are several national channels, of which the most dominant is TV Globo, the centrepiece of the Globo empire, Latin America’s largest media conglomerate. The empire was built up by Brazil’s answer to Rupert Murdoch, Roberto Marinho, who died in 2003. One of the most powerful men in Brazil, Marinho was very cosy with the military regime and prone to use his papers and TV channels as platforms for his ultra-conservative views. The other major national channels are Manchete, TV Bandeirantes, SBT and Record.

The channels are dominated by telenovelas, glossy soap operas that have massive audiences in the evenings. Football coverage is also worth paying attention to, a gabbling, incomprehensible stream of commentary, punctuated by remarkably elongated shouts of “Gooooool” whenever anyone scores – which is often, Brazilian defenses being what they are. However, there are a few genuine highlights, notably Jô Soares, the funniest and cleverest of Brazilian comedians, who hosts a very civilized late-night chat show on Globo every weekday.

Brazilian has the highest number of computers with internet access in South America and all things online are highly developed, with internet cafés on every corner, and much of what used to be tediously queued up for – banking, cinema-going, buying plane tickets – now done online as a matter of course.

Travelling with children is relatively easy in Brazil. They are made to feel welcome in hotels and restaurants in a way that’s not always so in Europe or North America. In fact, it is also more secure: even thieves and assaltantes seem to respect families with children and leave them alone.

Travelling around Brazil takes time, so try not to be too ambitious in terms of how much you aim to cover. Because of frequent scheduled stops and unscheduled delays it can take all day to fly from one part of the country to another. Long bus journeys are scheduled overnight and can be exhausting. Children pay full fare on buses if they take up a seat, ten percent on planes if under 2 years old, half-fare between 2 and 12, and full fare thereafter. Newer airports have a nursery (berçário) where you can change or nurse your baby and where an attendant will run your baby a bath, great on a hot day or if your plane’s delayed. If you plan on renting a car, bring your own child or baby seat as rental companies never supply them and they are very expensive in Brazil. Cars are fitted with three-point shoulder seatbelts in the front, but many only have lap seatbelts in the back.

In hotels, kids are generally free up to the age of 5, and rooms often include both a double and a single bed; a baby’s cot may be available, but don’t count on it. It’s rare that a room will sleep more than three, but larger hotels sometimes have rooms with an interlinking door. Hotels will sometimes offer discounts, especially if children share rooms and even beds with siblings or parents; the lower- to mid-range hotels are probably the most flexible in this regard. If you’re planning on staying more than a few days in a city, you may find it cheaper and more convenient to stay in an apartment-hotel, which will sleep several people and comes with basic cooking facilities. Baths are rare in Brazil, so get your kids used to showers before leaving home. Occasionally, a hotel will provide a plastic baby bath, but bring along a travel plug, as shower pans are often just about deep enough to create a bath.

Many of the mid- and upper-range hotels have TV lounges, TVs in rooms, swimming pools, gardens and even games rooms, which are often useful in entertaining kids. Most large towns also have cinemas, the best often being the new multiplexes found in shopping centres.

Food shouldn’t be a problem as, even if your kids aren’t adventurous eaters, familiar dishes are always available and there’s also the ubiquitous comida por kilo option. Portions tend to be huge, often sufficient for two large appetites, and it’s perfectly acceptable to request additional plates and cutlery. Most hotels and restaurants provide high chairs (cadeira alta) as well. Commercial baby food is sold in Brazilian supermarkets. Remember to avoid tap water and use only mineral water when preparing formula and washing out bottles. Mid-range hotels and upwards have a minibar (frigobar) in the rooms where you can store bottles and baby food, but where there isn’t one you will be able to store things in the hotel’s refrigerator. A small cooler box or insulated bag is a good idea and, while ice compartments of frigobars are useless, you can always place your freezer blocks in the hotel’s freezer (congelador).

In general, Brazilian infants don’t use disposable nappies/diapers (fraldas), due to the cost, around R$12 for twenty – very expensive for most Brazilians. As brands such as Pampers are sold in pharmacies and supermarkets, it’s worth only bringing a minimum with you until you can make it to a shop.

Health shouldn’t be a problem, but before planning your itinerary check which areas entail taking anti-malarial tablets (the state of Rondônia other than Porto Velho, rural Acre and Amapá and southern Pará is rife with malaria and should be avoided), and make enquiries as to whether the vaccines recommended or required in some parts of Brazil (in particular the Amazon) are likely to have any unpleasant side effects for babies or young children. For most of Brazil, the only likely problem will be the strength of the tropical sun and the viciousness of the mosquitoes: bring plenty of sunscreen (at least factor 20 for babies and factor 15 for young children) and an easy-to-apply non-toxic insect repellent.

The Rough Guides to Brazil and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Travel advice for Brazil

Find even more inspiration here.

Ready to travel and discover Brazil?

Get support from our local experts for stress-free planning & worry-free travels.

• Where to stay
• Travel advice

Turn Your Curiosity Into Discovery

Latest facts.

10 Facts About Infidelity Hurts Awareness Day May 31st

12 Facts About Harmonize Your Health Day April 1st

44 facts about brazil.

Written by Marguerite Galligan

Modified & Updated: 04 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

• Amazon Rainforest Facts
• Brazilian Culture Facts
• Carnival Facts
• Rio De Janeiro Facts
• Soccer Facts

Brazil is a country with a rich and diverse culture, stunning natural landscapes, and a fascinating history. As the largest country in South America, Brazil is home to vibrant cities, breathtaking beaches, and the world-famous Amazon rainforest. From the iconic landmarks such as the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro, to the music-filled streets of Salvador, Brazil offers an incredible mix of traditions, flavors, and experiences. In this article, we will explore 44 fascinating facts about Brazil, shedding light on its people, geography, wildlife, and much more. Whether you are planning a trip to Brazil or simply want to expand your knowledge, these facts will provide you with a deeper understanding of this captivating country.

Key Takeaways:

• Brazil is the largest country in South America, home to the Amazon Rainforest, and known for its love of soccer and vibrant carnival celebrations. It’s a diverse and captivating country with rich cultural heritage.
• From stunning beaches to iconic landmarks like Christ the Redeemer, Brazil offers a vibrant mix of music, dance, and delicious cuisine. Its warm hospitality and rich biodiversity make it a must-visit destination.

The largest country in South America

Brazil is the largest country in South America, covering an area of approximately 8.5 million square kilometers.

Home to the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest in the world, is located in Brazil. It spans over 5.5 million square kilometers and is home to a unique and diverse ecosystem.

Official language is Portuguese

Unlike most countries in South America , where Spanish is the dominant language, Brazil’s official language is Portuguese.

Famous for its carnival

The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most famous and vibrant celebrations in the world. It attracts millions of visitors each year who come to witness the elaborate parades, music, and dancing.

Soccer is a national obsession

Brazil is renowned for its love of soccer. The country has won the FIFA World Cup a record-breaking five times, more than any other nation.

Birthplace of samba

Samba, a lively and rhythmic dance form, originated in Brazil. It is an integral part of the country’s cultural identity.

Rich biodiversity

Brazil is home to an impressive array of plant and animal species. It has the highest number of primate species in the world and is also a haven for birdwatchers.

Iconic landmarks

Brazil is famous for its iconic landmarks, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the Iguazu Falls, which is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Coffee production

Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world. The country’s coffee industry has played a significant role in its economy for centuries.

Delicious cuisine

Brazilian cuisine is diverse and flavorful. Some popular dishes include feijoada (a black bean stew), pão de queijo (cheese bread), and brigadeiro (a chocolate fudge dessert).

Incredible music scene

Brazil has a rich musical heritage, with genres such as bossa nova, samba, and sertanejo gaining international recognition.

Stunning beaches

Brazil is renowned for its stunning beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, and Praia do Forte in Bahia.

The Pantanal

The Pantanal, located in western Brazil, is the largest tropical wetland in the world. It is a haven for wildlife, with over 1,000 bird species and numerous other animals.

A diverse mix of cultures

Brazil is known for its multiculturalism, with influences from Indigenous, European, African, and Asian cultures shaping its society.

Unique wildlife

Brazil is home to unique and fascinating wildlife, including jaguars, toucans, sloths, and pink dolphins.

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte, the capital city of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, is known for its stunning architecture and vibrant nightlife.

The largest carnival in the world

The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro holds the title for being the largest carnival in the world, attracting millions of visitors each year.

Famous musicians

Brazil has produced many internationally renowned musicians, including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso.

Statue of Liberty’s inspiration

The iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro served as one of the inspirations for the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

The Tijuca National Park

The Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro is the largest urban forest in the world, providing a green oasis within the city.

São Paulo

São Paulo is Brazil’s largest city and one of the largest urban centers in the world. It is known for its skyscrapers, cultural institutions, and vibrant food scene.

Indigenous tribes

Brazil is home to numerous Indigenous tribes, each with their own unique languages, traditions, and cultural practices.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain, located in Rio de Janeiro, offers breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding landscape.

The Amazon River

The Amazon River, the second-longest river in the world, flows through Brazil, providing sustenance to the vast Amazon rainforest .

A passion for dance

Brazilians have a deep passion for dance and are known for their skilled performances in various dance styles, including forró, axé, and frevo.

The Brazilian Real

The official currency of Brazil is the Brazilian Real (BRL).

Coffeehouses

Brazil has a vibrant coffee culture, with coffeehouses playing an important role in socializing and gatherings.

National dish

Feijoada, a hearty black bean stew with various meats, is considered the national dish of Brazil.

Indigenous influence

Indigenous heritage and traditions continue to influence Brazilian art, music, and spirituality.

Amazonian tribes

The Brazilian Amazon is home to numerous Indigenous tribes, some of which remain largely isolated from the outside world.

The Pantanal Jaguar Reserve

The Pantanal Jaguar Reserve is a protected area dedicated to the conservation of jaguars and other wildlife species.

Music festivals

Brazil hosts various music festivals throughout the year, attracting both national and international artists.

Beach culture

Beach culture is deeply ingrained in Brazilian society, with people enjoying activities such as beach volleyball, surfing, and sunbathing.

Portuguese influence

Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, resulting in a strong Portuguese cultural influence.

National parks

Brazil has numerous national parks, preserving its diverse ecosystems and wildlife habitats.

Carnival street parties

During Carnival, Brazilians take to the streets to celebrate with lively street parties known as blocos.

Oscar-nominated films

Brazilian films, such as “ City of God ” and “Central Station,” have received international acclaim and nominations for the Academy Awards.

Famous soccer players

Brazil has produced some of the greatest soccer players in history, including Pelé , Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho.

Cultural diversity

The cultural diversity in Brazil is reflected in its festivals, traditions, and celebrations, with each region showcasing its unique customs.

Biodiverse marine habitats

Brazil’s coastline is home to diverse marine habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, and marine protected areas.

Cachaça

Cachaça, a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane, is a popular spirit in Brazil and a key ingredient in caipirinha, the country’s national cocktail.

Brazil is known for its vibrant street art scene, with colorful murals adorning the walls of many cities.

The Itaipu Dam

The Itaipu Dam, located on the Paraná River between Brazil and Paraguay, is one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world.

Warm hospitality

Brazilians are known for their warm hospitality and friendly nature, making visitors feel welcome and at home.

These 44 facts highlight just a glimpse of the incredible wonders and cultural richness that Brazil has to offer. From its breathtaking landscapes to its vibrant music and dance, Brazil is a country that never fails to captivate and inspire.

In conclusion, Brazil is a fascinating and diverse country that offers a wealth of unique experiences for travelers and adventure seekers. From its stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, and rich history, there is something for everyone to marvel at in this South American gem.With its iconic landmarks such as the Amazon rainforest, Christ the Redeemer statue, and the vibrant Carnival celebrations, Brazil captures the essence of the South American spirit. Its melting pot of cultures, delicious cuisine, and welcoming people make for unforgettable experiences.Whether you’re exploring the breathtaking Iguazu Falls, immersing yourself in the rhythm of samba in Rio de Janeiro, or discovering the historic streets of Salvador , Brazil will captivate you with its diversity and charm.Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this incredible country and discover its hidden treasures. Brazil truly is a destination that will leave you with memories that last a lifetime.

1. What is the official language of Brazil?

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese.

2. What is the currency used in Brazil?

The currency used in Brazil is the Brazilian Real (BRL).

3. Do I need a visa to visit Brazil?

It depends on your nationality. Some countries require a visa to enter Brazil, while others have visa exemption agreements. It is recommended to check with the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your country for the most up-to-date visa requirements.

4. What are some popular tourist attractions in Brazil?

Some popular tourist attractions in Brazil include the Amazon rainforest, Iguazu Falls, Copacabana Beach, Christ the Redeemer statue, and the Pantanal wetlands.

5. Is Brazil a safe country to visit?

Like any country, Brazil has its share of safety concerns. It is important to exercise caution, especially in large cities and tourist areas. It is recommended to stay informed about the local conditions and follow any travel advisories issued by your government.

6. What is the best time to visit Brazil?

The best time to visit Brazil depends on the region and the purpose of your visit. Generally, the dry season (May to September) is a popular time for tourists, as the weather is pleasant and rainfall is minimal. However, Brazil has a diverse climate, so it is best to research the specific region you plan to visit for the most suitable time to go.

7. What is the national dish of Brazil?

Feijoada is considered the national dish of Brazil. It is a hearty black bean stew with various cuts of pork, served with rice, collard greens, and orange slices.

Was this page helpful?

Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.

Share this Fact:

• Amazon River
• Galápagos Islands
• Indonesian Archipelago
• Mekong River
• Irrawaddy River
• India Cruises
• Machu Picchu
• Iguazu Falls
• Brazil Travel Guide

Top 10 Brazil Tourist Attractions You Have To See

The largest country in South America, Brazil occupies almost half the continent. Nearly all of it is in the Southern Hemisphere, and much of it is tropical, with vast stretches of rainforest filled with exotic plants and wildlife. The country’s 4600-mile-long Atlantic coast is lined with golden-sand beaches, and its interior is filled with mineral resources. Portugal was the colonial power that ruled Brazil until 1822. The national language is Portuguese and a strong Portuguese influence is evident in Brazil’s colonial architecture and decorative arts. Below are what we consider the top attractions worth visiting on a vacation to Brazil .

Cristo Redentor

Christ the Redeemer

One of Brazil’s most iconic monuments and Rio’s most visited attraction , the statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet tall, with horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet. The work of Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa is made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles. The statue stands on a square stone pedestal about 26 feet high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The base encloses a chapel that is popular for weddings. The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil and is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world.

In addition to the symbolic importance within the Catholic community, the statue is also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and provides spell-binding views over Rio de Janeiro and the bay from the summit of Corcovado, 2310 feet above the city. The area on which it stands is part of the Tijuca National Park, and a rack railway climbs two miles to a broad plaza at the top. A mid-point stop on the railway leads to trails through the Tijuca National Park, replete with springs, waterfalls, and a wide variety of tropical birds, butterflies, and plants.

Way to experience the falls

Iguaçu Falls

At the point where Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina meet, ten miles before joining the Parana River, the Iguaçu River flows over rough, uneven ground, and then, amidst the exuberant forest, spectacularly hurls itself into a semicircular chain of 247 irregular waterfalls that thunder down into the gorge below. Just above the falls, the river is constricted to a quarter of its usual width, making the force of the water even stronger. Some of the falls are more than 330 feet high and they cover such a broad area that you’ll never see all of them at once, but you do get the broadest panorama from the Brazilian side.

A visit to the Iguazu falls is a heart-stopping, visceral experience, while the power and noise of the cascades, which extend nearly 1.85 miles, will live forever in your memory. The falls lie split between Brazil and Argentina in the UNESCO-acclaimed Iguaçu National Park, where subtropical rainforests are home to more than 1,000 species of birds and mammals, including deer, otters, ocelots, and capybaras. Catwalks and a tower offer different perspectives, and one bridge reaches all the way to the largest water curtain, known as the Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat), which drops more than 262 feet into a creamy white pool. You can cross to the Argentinian side for closer views from catwalks that extend farther into the center of the falls. The two sides offer different perspectives and views, so it’s a good idea to plan to see both.

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Occupying a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea, Copacabana − downtown Rio’s most fashionable district − follows Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, and is famous for its magnificent two-and-a-half-mile curved beach. Skyscraper hotels, apartment houses, cafés, shops, nightclubs, restaurants, theatres, live music bars, street fairs, and pubs line the waterfront. The neighborhood is a blend of Brazilian soul; it is crowded, rowdy, and traditional. However, the most powerful draw in Copacabana is still the fantastic view of the coast and the incredible white-sand beach alongside the rolling surf.

The beach is separated from the buildings and the traffic by a broad promenade paved in black and white mosaic in a rippled pattern inspired by Rocio’s Square in Lisbon, Portugal. The huge strip of sand bordering Copacabana Beach is not the result of a natural process; during the ’70s, a large land reclamation increased the area of the beach, which is a popular playground filled with sun-worshippers whenever the weather is fine.

Carnaval (Carnival), Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Carnaval is one of Brazil’s top tourist attractions − the mother, the mecca, the king of all carnivals. Every year, just before the beginning of Lent, Rio de Janeiro transforms into the biggest party on the planet, a party that is attended by five million people from all around the world. Few shows match Carnaval’s extravaganza for color, sound, action, and exuberance. This is not just another boisterous street party, but a carefully staged showpiece. The highlight of attending Rio Carnaval is witnessing the world-renowned Samba Parade hosted in a purpose-built stadium called the Sambódromo, where dancers and musicians from the competing samba schools strut their stuff in a dazzling explosion of brilliant costumes.

Carnaval is an exhilarating time to be in Rio, all the businesses unrelated to Carnaval shut down and the Brazilians completely embrace the carnival spirit, joining street parties across the city. You’ll also find Carnivals in Salvador, Bahia, Recife, and other Brazilian cities.

Bordered by Arpoador Beach on one end and Leblon Beach on the other end, Ipanema Beach is considered one of the main centers of activity for the city of Rio and one of the most expensive places to live. Known as the “Little Paris” of Rio, it is renowned for its avant-garde art galleries, bookstores, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants, and cafés, which make it a popular social zone year-round. The same wave design of Copacabana’s wide promenade continues here, separating the sand from the buildings. Sunday is especially busy, with an antique market at Praça de Quentaland and the Feira de Artesanato de Ipanema, alive with music, street food, art, and handcrafts with vendors selling everything from wooden dolls to swizzle sticks topped with parrots, making it fun a festive for families visiting Brazil .

Pelourinho, Salvador

Pelourinho is the historic city center of Brazil’s former colonial capital, Salvador . The cobblestoned streets and vibrantly colored buildings are a picturesque example of how the African, indigenous, and European cultures, which were thrown together in Salvador, have converged throughout the centuries. This old quarter has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its exceptional collection of 17th- and 18th-century colonial buildings, the finest such assembly in South America. This is where you’ll find Salvador’s most beautiful churches and monasteries, built at a time when Brazil was the source of Portugal’s riches, and the plentiful gold was lavished on the colony’s religious buildings.

The finest and most opulent of the city’s churches is São Francisco, built in the early 1700s and filled with intricate carvings covered in gold. Pelourinho means “whipping post” in Portuguese, and this was the location of the slave auction in the days when slavery was common. Slavery was outlawed in 1835, and over time, this portion of the city, though home to artists and musicians, fell into disrepair. In the 1990s, a major restoration effort resulted in making the area a highly desirable Brazil tourist attraction.

Ipiranga Museum

Art Museums of Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo holds some of the best collections of fine arts in Latin America, and the buildings in which they are housed are architectural landmarks as well. The Museu de Arte, MASP, is considered the premier art museum in Brazil, displaying the continent’s most comprehensive collection of Western art, with representative works by artists from Classical antiquity, the Renaissance, the Baroque period, along with plentiful works by Brazilian and other Latin American artists. The museum is a Modernist landmark conceived by Italian architect Lina Bo Bardi; bright red concrete elevates the building structure above ground making the museum stand out from the neutral-colored high-rise buildings that surround it. There are 73 bronze sculptures by Degas and works by Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Miró.

At the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, in Ibirapuera Park, you’ll find more than 8,000 works of art. This is one of Latin America’s largest collections of 20th-century Western art, comprising the most important artists, art movements, and tendencies of modern and contemporary art. It includes works by Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, Miró, and Modigliani along with major Brazilian painters. Additionally, Museu do Ipiranga, set above Versailles-inspired formal gardens, houses paintings, and decorative arts.

For a different type of art, don’t miss Batman’s Alley, an open-air gallery of street art by local and international artists. It is in the bohemian Vila Madalena neighborhood, where you’ll also find art galleries showing the works of well-known and rising Brazilian artists and craftspeople.

Cathedral of Brasilia

This striking modernist building is an architectural icon of Brazil, designed by renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer. The round church has 16 concrete columns representing hands raised to heaven. The columns converge to a central elevated circle, soaring 138 feet towards the sky while allowing the natural light to flood in through a glass roof offering a glimpse to the heavens with angels suspended above the congregation. Not only that but the building is surrounded by a shallow pool that reflects its beauty.

Botanical Garden of Curitiba, Paraná

The postcard-worthy botanical garden is one of Curitiba’s main attractions and rightly so because it has an impressive and colorful garden and has a fantastic greenhouse. The Park is packed with flower gardens, with ideal places for picnics. Moreover, the external garden has a lovely French style with beautiful designs and walks between the areas colored by flowers and a fountain that provides beautiful photo opportunities. Inside the glass-and-steel greenhouse, it is possible to see species of plants typical of tropical areas.

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro

Sugarloaf Mountain is arguably one of the most important tourist attractions in Brazil. The rounded rock peak juts out of a tree-covered promontory, rising nearly 1300 feet above the beaches and the city. Its summit offers jaw-dropping views of Rio and the harbor, together with the thrill of riding suspended in a cable car between SugarLoaf and the Morro da Urca, a lower peak from which a second cableway connects to the city. Rio’s first settlement began below these peaks, near the long Praia da Urca beach, and you can tour one of the three early forts there, the star-shaped Fort São João.

While Rainforest Cruises aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information herein or found by following any link on this site. Rainforest Cruises cannot and will not accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom, including any losses, injuries, or damages resulting from the display or use of this information.

You may also like

Best Places To Visit In The Pantanal To See Wildlife

One of the largest, most pristine, and most biologically vibrant wetlands in the world, the Pantanal offers South America’s all-around best wildlife-viewing opportunities. The “Kingdom of Waters,” as it’s sometimes called, easily […]

5 Best Places To Visit The Amazon Jungle To See Wildlife

One simply runs out of superlatives describing the rainforest of the Amazon Basin (the so-called “Amazon jungle” of popular conception). About the size of the conterminous United States, this biggest river basin […]

8 Luxury Amazon Rainforest Hotels: Where To Stay In The Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest is by far one of the most mysterious and exciting locales to visit in all of South America. Teeming with abundant wildlife, exotic trees and plants, and even indigenous […]

11 Tourist Attractions In The Amazon Rainforest You Must See

When it comes to untouched nature in a wildlife-rich environment, the Amazon Rainforest is one of the last places on earth to explore. Even hearing the word Amazon conjures up images of […]

Pantanal Honeymoon | Lodges & Itinerary Ideas For Lovers

Are you looking for a honeymoon destination full of romance and adventure at the same time? Perhaps one in a remote location in a South American country full of different landscapes and […]

Pantanal Family Travel: Top 7 Things To Do With Kids

If you’re looking for a new destination for your family vacation this year, why not consider one of the most remote and naturally unique regions in all of South America? The Pantanal […]

Where To Stay In The Pantanal

While exploring the Pantanal wetlands region in Brazil, where you lay your head at night is an important decision to make. While you may worry your options are limited, consider that several […]

5 Amazing Attractions You Must See In The Pantanal

If you’re looking for a South American adventure unlike any other and a location not teeming with crowds, then head to the Pantanal region of Brazil. Tucked within the western part of […]

Brazil Vs Argentina: Which Side Of The Iguazu Falls Is Best?

Brazil vs Argentina, it’s a long-standing battle. The two countries compete in regards to almost everything: from their football teams to their natural wonders, from their tourist attractions to their barbeques, to […]

On the Lookout for Expert Advice & Offers?

Join over 20,000 discerning travelers and be the first to receive our monthly exclusive discounts, inspiring travel content and expert tips, straight to your inbox.

• Charter (Private)

Touropia Travel Experts

Discover the World

27 Top Tourist Attractions in Brazil

Sprawling across half of South America, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. White-sand beaches, tropical islands, music-filled metropolises and charming colonial towns are dotting its 7,500 km (4,600 miles) long coastline.

Inland, Brazil consist of imposing waterfalls, wetlands filled with wildlife, and the untouched wilderness of the Amazon rainforest where several isolated tribes still live without any contact with the rest of the world.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, became a Portuguese colony in 1500, remaining under Portuguese rule for 300 years. Remnants of this heritage can be seen throughout historic colonial cities even today.

Besides these tourist attractions in Brazil, it also has gorgeous beaches, famed for their surfing waves and scenic beauty. Great beaches can be found in the Rio area, while others may be so isolated getting there is an adventure in itself. If you are planning a holiday to this exciting country, here are our recommendations for the best things to do in Brazil.

27. Porto de Galinhas

Porto de Galinhas, or “Port of Chickens,” on the south coast of Pernambuco in the district of Ipojuca, is a beach town home to some of the most famous beaches in Brazil.

A prominent tourist spot, Porto de Galinhas is breathtaking, with natural crystalline-clear pools, thriving reefs, and white-sugared beaches. Right by the town center, Porto de Galinhas Beach’s sands stretch on and on. The section closest to the town is sprinkled with restaurants and bars. Grab refreshing drinks and fill up on food before snorkeling in waters full of tropical fish and tanning in the sun.

The natural pools of Porto de Galinhas are one of the top attractions of Porto de Galinhas. Off the sand strip, these pools are established naturally by the coral reef full of vibrant-colored marine life.

26. Campos do Jordao

Also known as the Switzerland of Brazil, this town is the highest in the country, located more than 1,600 meters (5,300 feet) above sea level in the beautiful Mantiqueira Mountains. Because it sits at such a high elevation, this resort town offers visitors a refreshing escape from Brazil’s heat during the summer months.

Campos do Jordao is probably best known for its Winter Festival, a popular classical musical event held in July that draws musicians from around the world. This town is also a popular draw with active visitors, who can choose from a large variety of things to do, including horseback riding, jeep tours and cable car rides.

25. Lencois Maranhenses National Park

For most people, Brazil conjures up images of stunning beaches and verdant jungles — not sand dunes. But one of its most interesting national parks , Lencois Maranhenses, is home to massive dunes. But this is not the desert. During July, torrential rains actually create gorgeous clear lagoons that can reach depths of 3 meters (10 feet) in some areas.

Interestingly enough, even though these pools are temporary — disappearing during the dry season — there are fish in them. Swimming is allowed and is one of the most popular things to do in Brazil, but visitors should be prepared for warm waters. Temperatures in these pools can be as high as 30 °C (87 °F).

24. Florianopolis Beaches

Also known as Floripa, the 42 beaches of Florianopolis are popular with surfers, partyers and sun worshipers. Arguably, its most popular beach is Joaquina, which boasts huge sand dunes and excellent waves. Though as of late, its neighbor Praia Mole has been stealing some of Joaquina’s thunder.

Travelers who like to hangout with the rich and famous should head to Jurere, which boasts huge homes and some of the best night clubs in the area. For those seeking a little solitude, Lagoinha do Leste is the beach they’ll want to visit. One caveat, this beach requires about a two-hour hike to reach it.

23. Praia de Pipa

Blessed with postcard-worthy beaches, tall cliffs and clear waters, Praia de Pipa has become one of Brazil’s best-known beach destinations and is a favorite with both locals and tourists. The town is also known for its vibrant nightlife and offers visitors a slew of activities, including boating and surfing.

But as popular as it is, the town, itself, is limited in size as it is surrounded by Environmental Protected Areas. That means that visitors can still enjoy the natural beauty of this area and swim in waters that are teeming with dolphins and turtles.

22. Museu de Arte Contemporanea

Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (MAC), or Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, is well-known for its peculiar architecture, similar to an alien spaceship, that draws in visitors from across the globe.

One of the featured landmarks of the city of Niterói, near Rio de Janeiro, the museum’s unique structure was designed by famous Brazilian modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. The architect, Niemeyer, was one of the main leaders of the Brazilian modernist movement, with Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói being one of his more well-known works.

The museum’s location features breathtaking viewpoints of Guanabara Bay, and inside the museum are panoramic views of the bay, Ripe de Janeiro, and Sugar Loaf Mountain. Visitors will also find a diverse array of contemporary art pieces on display to view.

Buzios, or Armação dos Búzios, is a beach town well-loved by locals and tourists. The town’s warm and dry climate, beautiful beaches, and turquoise waters make for a perfect getaway destination.

Northeast of Rio de Janeiro, Buzios is home to many stunning beaches to pick and choose from. You can easily spend more than a few days taking in the appealing tropical weather of Buzios, lingering on the beaches, and soaking up the sun of Brazil’s Costa do Sol.

Within Rua das Pedras, the heart of Buzios, are cobblestone streets, boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, and trendy nightclubs popping with activity during the night. Walk down the Orla Bardot Boardwalk, connecting Rua das Pedras to Armacao Beach, for a romantic dinner stroll while peering at the famous statues designed by Christina Motta.

20. Aparados da Serra National Park

One of Brazil’s first national parks, Aparados da Serra was created to protect Itaimbezinho, one of the most impressive canyons in Brazil. Fringed with subtropical forest, the narrow canyon features sheer parallel escarpments with a depth of almost 720 meters (2360 feet).

Two waterfalls cascade into a stone plunge pool that spills over into the Rio do Boi, which winds its narrow way along the canyon bottom. A steep rocky path leads to river from the canyon rim, but it’s a tough, hair-raising walk that shouldn’t be undertaken lightly.

19. Cathedral of Brasilia

A Roman Catholic church in the capital of Brazil, the Cathedral of Brasilia, acts as the seat of the Archdiocese of Brasilia. Another enigmatic design by famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, the cathedral was completed in 1970, showcasing a crown-like structure and a stunning stained glass ceiling.

At the entrance of the Cathedral of Brasilia are four impressive bronze sculptures. These sculptures stand nearly ten feet tall, representing the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Within the cathedral’s interior are three angel sculptures that hang above the congregation, ranging from 7 to 14 feet tall. The altar within the Cathedral of Brasilia was donated by Pope Paul VI, and the four bells in the bell tower by Spain.

Touring the Cathedral of Brasilia is a popular activity to admire modern architecture and design with its undeniably remarkable appeal.

18. Pelourinho

A historic neighborhood in western Salvador, Bahia, the Pelourinho acted as the city’s center during the colonial period. It operated as a slave market until slavery was outlawed in 1835.

Nowadays, Pelourinho is a prosperous hub spot full of culture, history, and opportunities to explore colonial architecture.

There are more than a few noteworthy tourist attractions in Pelourinho. First, visit Igreja de São Francisco, an early 18th-century church established in the High Baroque style. The interior is gilded with intricate artwork that inspires awe, along with the gold-covered ceilings.

Then, watch a live capoeira performance. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art intertwining music, acrobatics, dance, and spirituality, performed with traditional Brazilian songs and instruments. Seeing the dazzling displays of spins and kicks is a mesmerizing experience, and a peek into Afro-Brazilian history.

And these are only some of the popular activities and attractions of Pelourinho’s rich culture and history waiting to be explored!

17. Ilha Grande

An island located between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande is a beautiful and popular weekend getaway destination.

Full of luscious forest trails for hiking, clear water for swimming, and white-sugared beaches for relaxing, it’s not hard to lose track of time vacationing in Ilha Grande.

Once upon a time, the island was used as a state prison, a leper colony, and the ideal pirate refuge. Nowadays, Ilha Grande is a flawless vacation spot for locals and tourists looking to get away, relax, and some things to do in the outdoors.

Take a hike to Lopes Mendes Beach, one of Brazil’s most frequently ranked top beaches. Its endless coastline, serene atmosphere, and crystal-clear water exude a peaceful vibe that is easy to sink into. Ilha Grande has more than a few hikes available for the avid adventurer.

Hike near Vila de Abraao, passing the old prison that housed political prisoners, or hike to the island’s highest point, Pico de Papagayo, for a challenge.

16. Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park

Found centrally in Goias, with access points from Sao Jorge and Alto Paraiso, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is situated above an ancient plateau aged at an impressive two billion years.

Throughout the national park are cascading waterfalls, dipping valleys, and steep canyons. The hikes make for a rewarding excursion. For example, the Cachoeira Macaquinhos, or Little Monkey Waterfall, the trail is less than a three-mile hike. It is beginner-friendly, offering up views of emerald-dipped pools poured into by rushing waterfalls.

Check out Vale da Lua in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. This unusual rock formation was created by millennia of erosion and is one of the park’s top attractions. Then, take pictures at the famous window frame-like landmark, Mirante de Janela, with sensational background views of Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.

15. Jericoacoara

A small fishing village transformed into a popping beach resort site, Jericoacoara, also known as Jijoca or Jeri, is one of those utopia vacation spots where you end up extending your trip to stay longer.

In Ceara, west of Fortaleza, Jericoacoara is a popular spot for windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, swimming, and backpacking. The streets are paved with sand instead of cement—the beach’s undeveloped coastlines, packed with sand dunes, stretching beyond sight.

Visit Jericoacoara National Park, which features Lagoa do Paraiso, a stunning turquoise lagoon with nearby hammocks to sway and relax in and bars to enjoy refreshments. Order fresh lobster, oysters, and other seafood dishes from local restaurants. Once nighttime hits Jericoacoara, join locals and fellow tourists at the numerous clubs and bars where live music serenades through the night.

14. Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride

The most famous railway in Brazil, the Serra Verde Express, is where visitors can hop on a Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride through southwestern Brazil.

The Belgium-French company Chemin de Fer Bresilien established the Curitiba-Paranagua Railway to gain access to the port of Paranagua. The railway line took five years to construct, an engineering masterpiece of the 19th century.

On this famous scenic ride, passengers can see glorious landscapes as the train passes through thriving forests, up steep mountain slopes, along lengthy rivers, and past sparkling lakes. Then, look out of Veu de Noiva Waterfall, cascading over a steep rock formation for a stunning image said to fall over the stones like a “bride’s veil”.

A small, charming town between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Paraty is situated at a scenic location featuring mountain backdrops, historic landmarks, and a waterfront setting.

Previously a bustling port during the Brazilian Gold Rush, the town has quickly become a favored tourist spot thanks to its natural appeal, Portuguese colonial architecture, and diverse activity options.

However, its cobblestoned streets are a step back in time, presenting only a piece of Paraty’s heritage. Stroll through Matriz Square, past white-painted houses with colorful doors and window frames, to Santa Rita church to bask in local history, culture, and architecture.

Complete the rewarding Mamangua Sugarloaf Peak Hike to the top of Mamangua Peak. Here, you’ll see the world’s only tropical fjord, the Saco do Mamangua. Kayak through Paraty’s mangroves, beaches, and coves, to witness the natural wonders of Paraty that draw in visitors from across the globe.

12. Copacabana

Located in Rio, Copacabana is one of the world’s most well-known beaches. It is approximately two miles long and lined with hotels and expensive homes, though there are also much more modest residences scattered in between. A beautiful boardwalk with a black-and-white checked pattern of Portuguese stone flanks the sand.

This is a very vibrant neighborhood that is home to Rio’s famous New Year’s celebration and several interesting tourist attractions, including the Copacabana Fort, which was constructed in 1914, and the glamorous Hotel Copacabana Palace.

11. Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto is a historic colonial town in the Serra do Espinhaco mountains, north of Rio de Janeiro, featuring baroque architecture and cobbled streets.

Founded at the end of the 17th century, the town played a crucial role in Brazil’s late 17th century Gold Rush, quickly becoming one of the richest and biggest towns . It was also the birthplace of Brazil’s most noteworthy artist and sculptor, Aleijadinho. Many of Aleijadinho’s masterpieces can be seen speckled throughout the city, plus a collection of sculptures in the Museum of Aleijadinho.

Outside Ouro Preto is the world’s largest gold mine open to the public, found in Mariana. Guided tours take visitors through the gold mine on an old cable car while exploring the history of the mine. And throughout the town of Ouro Preto are many spectacularly designed churches featuring intricate design and architecture. Many of these churches were embellished with native gold.

10. Teatro Amazonas

Teatro Amazonas or Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in Manaus , in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.

It was built during the heyday of rubber trade using materials from all over the world, with furniture from Paris, marble from Italy, and steel from England. On the outside of the building, the dome was covered with 36,000 decorated ceramic tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian national flag.

The first performance was given on January 7, 1897, with the Italian opera La Gioconda. The opera house was closed down soon after however as the rubber trade declined and Manaus lost its main source of income. There wasn’t a single performance in Teatro Amazonas for 90 years until 1990 when it reopened its doors.

9. Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is a beautiful archipelago with pristine beaches, landscapes and wildlife, situated 354 km (220 miles) off the northeastern coast in Brazil. The archipelago was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503 and temporarily occupied by the Dutch and French before Portugal established dominion in 1737.

Today only the largest of the 21 islands is inhabited with a population of about 3,500. The islands are a Mecca for divers and snorkelers with warm waters year-round and very good visibility even at depths of 50 meters.

Established in the Bodoquena Sierra, in Mato Grosso do Sul, Bonito is a quaint town and prevalent ecotourism hub.

Crystalline waterways and prosperous forests surround Bonito. One of the biggest attractions of Bonito is Rio de Prata, or Silver River. The river’s aquamarine water brims with friendly fish, making it an excellent snorkeling spot.

Another is the Gruta do Lago Azul, or Blue Lake Grotto. The grotto is an otherworldly underwater cave filled with blue water. Scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling are popular at the grotto; if you’re lucky, you might discover fossils of ancient prehistoric animals!

Within Bonito is Aquario de Natural, a marine preserve that is only a short trek through the jungle. Swimming, snorkeling, and glass-bottomed boat tours are popular here for a memorable adventure through the clear waters full of vibrant-colored fish lazily swimming about.

7. Historic Center of Olinda

On the northeastern coast of Brazil in Pernambuco, north of Recife, is the historic city of Olinda. The city was founded in the 16th century and is considered one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil .

The Historic Center of Olinda is teeming with architecturally stunning buildings surrounded by rich vegetation and oceanside backsplashes. The city’s history is linked to the sugarcane industry, the historic center presenting the nourishment of wealth that inspired its economy to boom in the 16th century. The Catedral Alto da Se, a former Jesuit church, is the perfect example of Olinda’s appealing architecture and prosperous history.

Walking through the Historic Center of Olinda is a journey through Brazil’s history, surrounded by monuments, churches, and houses that date back centuries.

6. Salvador Beaches

In the northeast region of Brazil is Salvador, the capital of Bahia, home to some of the best beaches in Brazil.

Praia Itapua is a fine white-sanded beach, palm frond, and coconut tree-speckled paradise. The beach is near the notoriously artistic and culturally rich neighborhood of Itapua. The nearby venues have an eclectic and bohemian vibe paired with entertaining live music and tasty food options, like “acaraje”, a spicy fried-bean dish.

Join the locals at Boa Viagem, a beach strip flanked by beachfront bars, nightclubs, seafood restaurants, and a boardwalk perfect for strolling along the beach. Coral reefs protect the shallow waters of Boa Viagem, which is ideal for families to take their kids for a beach day.

The beach options are endless in Salvador!

5. Pantanal

The world’s largest flooded grasslands and largest tropical wetland area, most of the Pantanal lies within Mato Grosso do Sul, with some of it extending into Paraguay and Bolivia.

Larger than 29 U.S. states and nearly nine European countries, these wetlands are a fantastical wonderland of nature’s beauty. This refuge for wildlife is home to about 10 million caimans and just as many jaguars that hunt caimans in the Pantanal. You can also find the largest parrot in the world here, the hyacinth macaw.

These are only some of the astonishing animals in the Pantanal, drawing in millions of tourists annually to catch sight of the numerous awe-inspiring species living here, including toucans and capybaras.

From horseback to canoe, there are numerous methods to adventuring the glorious commodity of the Pantanal!

4. Rio Carnival

There are carnival celebrations in virtually every corner of Brazil, the best-known ones taking place in Recife together with the neighboring Olinda and Salvador. But the biggest and most famous carnival is undoubtedly the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The Rio Carnival attracts two million people per day on the streets and almost half a million foreigners during its 4 day celebration.

The Carnival is all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars, clubs and all other venues in Rio, concluding in the spectacular Rio Samba Parade at the Sambadrome.

3. Amazon River

The largest river in the world by water volume, the Amazon River traverses nine South American countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Nurturing the largest rainforest on earth, this mighty river is still widely unexplored, hiding discoveries and opportunities. In northwestern Brazil lies Manaus, the only city in the Amazon Rainforest that boasts a population of over one million people.

People travel from all over the world to Manaus to get a chance to explore, whether it be on a one-of-a-kind Amazon river tour or a backpacking adventure through its lush Amazonian jungles. Through these experiences, you can get the unique chance to see sloths, toucans, macaws, and the boto, the phenomenal pink-ish colored river dolphin.

2. Iguacu Falls

One of the great natural wonders of the world, Iguaçu Falls is situated on the border between Brazil and Argentina . The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along the Iguazu River. The most impressive of them all is the Devil’s Throat a U-shaped with a height of 82 meter (269 ft).

The falls can be reached from the cities Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina, as well as from Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the Devil’s Throat.

1. Christ the Redeemer

An iconic landmark welcoming visitors to Rio de Janeiro , the Christ the Redeemer statue was labeled one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

One of the most visited and well-known tourist attractions in Brazil, the statue was established more than 90 years ago. It is the largest Art Deco statue in the world and, shockingly, only the fourth tallest statue of Jesus Christ in the world.

The cultural icon has become a global symbol, attracting millions of believers and non-believers alike to see the Christ the Redeemer statue in person as it overlooks Rio de Janeiro atop Corcovado Mountain.

Map of Tourist Attractions in Brazil

Share this post:

10 Best Beaches in Brazil

17 Best Cities to Visit in Brazil

5 Most Beautiful Regions in Brazil

10 Most Beautiful National Parks in Brazil

14 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Brazil

How to Spend 2 Weeks in Brazil: DIY Itinerary

11 Most Awesome Places to Stay in Brazil

10 Most Beautiful Islands in Brazil

17 Best Places to Visit in Brazil

23 Top Attractions & Things to Do in Sao Paulo

Reader interactions.

February 2, 2021 at 9:07 am

Just spent some time in Brazil from 12/27/2020 to 01/11/2021 . I stayed between Copacabana and Búzios RJ and I can tell you. 6 months would not be enough to get to know all these places mentioned on this article. You might be able to visit but not to get the spirit of some locations, villages or towns. My next trip going to be to Salvador or Santa Catarina.

February 12, 2017 at 8:14 pm

Just visit praia dos Carneiros, the best place in Brazil.

January 31, 2017 at 1:23 pm

And we can put so many places into this list! Chapada Diamantina in Bahia State is, for me, a must-go-place for everyone in Brazil. Also the Chapada de Veadeiros in Goias State must be into the list, a paradise in the middle of brazilian savannah, UNESCO whs. The new touristic fisherman villages are also an amazing destination: Canoa Quebrada, Genipabu, Dunas de Rosado, Caraivas… Sure we need a ”Top100” for this country.

November 22, 2016 at 2:31 am

Its amazing to think about the scenery of top tourist places. I am coming to Brazil in the first week of December, 2016. But I am afraid of whether I would get any time to see all the interesting places as I like due to time constraint. Even that I should try to travel as much as I can during my stay in Brazil.

January 5, 2015 at 6:16 am

Visit Curitiba, the best city in Brazil.

May 25, 2014 at 8:50 am

awesome places

January 14, 2014 at 2:18 am

Beautiful sceneries! I am coming to Brazil soon. However, u will be amazed with what Uganda, the pearl of African possess!

November 19, 2013 at 6:44 am

Nice website 🙂

In my opinion, as a Brazilian who loves to travel, the best places in Brazil are: Bonito (MS), Jericoacara (CE), Abrolhos (BA), Arraial do Cabo ( RJ), Búzios (RJ), Praia do Forte (BA), São Miguel dos Milagres (AL), Pipa (RN), Chapada Diamantina (BA), Gramado (RS), Florianópolis (SC) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ).

August 19, 2013 at 8:59 am

Brazil is very lovely. i would love to go and meet people and see all the places

August 19, 2013 at 6:11 am

The Pantanal is amazing. check out Pantanal Ranch Meia Lua – It’s in Miranda, a wonderful ranch to use as a basis for your travel into the Pantanal.

August 1, 2013 at 2:15 am

its most wonderful place I would like to go to brazil I want attraction site of it

July 30, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Very good your list, I am Brazilian and agree to the destinations mentioned here.

July 19, 2013 at 2:29 am

brazil is certainly an astonishing & breathtaking place to visit.My visit was a memorable 7 once in a blue moon one.Hats off to brazil!!!!!!!!!!

April 28, 2013 at 6:37 pm

Brazil is such a beautiful country 🙂 can’t wait to go these pictures are amazing

April 28, 2013 at 11:57 am

this is reeealy goood ooh when am i gonna get the chance to go to a place like this!

April 20, 2013 at 7:02 am

where are the pictures of Ceará? yes there is very beautiful

March 8, 2013 at 1:14 pm

i have travelled every where and i think u should really go to brazil

March 8, 2013 at 7:29 am

i really want to go to brazill because it looks sooo sexy

December 10, 2012 at 3:23 pm

i want to go to brazil soooooooo bad and this makesme want to go even more.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Destinations

Brazil Travel Guide

National Geographic’s latest travel stories about Brazil

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

7 things you should know before traveling to Brazil

Nov 8, 2023 • 5 min read

Keep these tips in mind and you'll have an incredible trip to Brazil © FG Trade / Getty Images

Just mention that you’re planning a trip to Brazil, and the idea will instantly conjure up images of sunny beaches and the infectious rhythm of a samba beat or the sultry melodies of bossa nova. 

From the iconic yellow and blue kit of its national soccer team, the flamboyant outfits of the Carnaval dancers, and the famously fruity headpiece of Carmen Miranda, Brazil’s cultural impression on the world has been wide-reaching. But as a Brazilian-American it always surprises me how little others know about the vast country’s many diverse regions and day-to-day customs. 

Growing up snacking on pão de queijo (cheese bread) and brigadeiros  (chocolate truffles), I’ve been visiting Brazil since I was a kid and regularly return to visit family and explore new regions. 

There are endless ways to experience Brazil, but these are the top things to know if you want to plan a trip to Brazil that goes above and beyond.

1. There’s more than just beaches and jungles

The energy of Copacabana Beach and the alluring biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest may have captured the world’s attention, but that’s really the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Brazil’s natural beauty. 

Adventurous nature lovers will find Brazil to be a treasure trove that contains a wealth of geographical diversity.

In the northeastern regions, you can explore the massive dunes and natural swimming pools in the states of Ceará  and Maranhão or venture to the landlocked state of Tocantins, where a vast savannah is home to the remarkably unique park of Jalapão . 

National parks like Chapada Diamantina and Chapada dos Veadeiros stun visitors with their mountain vistas and waterfalls, not to mention the staggering power of Iguaçu, one of the world’s largest waterfalls made up of over 200 cascades.

2. There are more urban hubs beyond Rio and São Paulo

While Rio de Janeiro boasts Brazil’s most iconic skyline and São Paulo is a mega-metropolis that hosts many of the country’s cultural and business institutions, these are hardly the only urban centers in Brazil worth visiting. 

Architecture fans should plan a trip to the capital city of Brasilia , where the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer takes center stage, while gastronomically inclined travelers should check out Belo Horizonte , the capital of Minas Gerais, a state renowned by Brazilians for its cuisine. 

Up north, Salvador is a center for exploring the epicenter of Afro-Brazilian culture, which is the source of the martial art of capoeira and feijoada  (a meaty bean stew), Brazil’s national dish.

3. Brazil is a cultural melting pot

The USA is hardly the only cultural stew in the Western hemisphere. Brazilian culture melds together the customs and traditions of the indigenous, Afro-Brazilan and immigrant communities.  

In São Paulo, the neighborhood of Liberdade is home to a strong Japanese-Brazilian community; in southern states, you'll see the influence of German immigrants in the region's cross-timbered houses. 

Even the food has Lebanese and Italian roots, with kibbeh  (fried bulgar wheat and meatballs) and pizza being some of the most popular late-night snacks among Brazilians. 

The national dish feijoada , originates from Afro-Brazilian and indigenous communities who used cassava flour long before the arrival of Europeans in Brazil. This flour is a key ingredient for farofa (toasted cassava flour), the most popular side dish to have with your feijoada . 

4. A little Portuguese will be a huge asset

Outside of the traditional tourism sectors, you won’t find many Brazilians who speak English, and whatever your level of Spanish may be, it probably won’t get you far enough.

In addition to studying basic phrases , you should also prime yourself on pronunciation. For example, an r at the beginning of a word makes an h sound, which means the “rio” in Rio de Janeiro is pronounced more like “hio.”

It may seem like a small detail, but it’s an essential thing to be aware of should you ever need to ask for directions.

5. A kiss on the cheek is a customary greeting

In a social situation, a kiss on the cheek is the routine greeting among Brazilians – even if you’re just meeting someone for the first time. 

It doesn’t need to be a full kiss, but cheek-to-cheek contact with a smacking sound is the standard. It’s typically expected between two women or a man and a woman, but men often opt for a handshake.

If the situation is more formal, like a business meeting or a simple shopping exchange, you can skip the kiss. The number of kisses also vary by region: in São Paulo it’s one, in Rio it’s two, and in Bahia , it can be three or more.

6. Safety should be top of mind in urban areas

Crime is a widespread issue throughout Brazil, especially in large cities and the favelas  usually located in the city outskirts. Favela tours are possible, but the business is controversial as many people believe it to be exploitative and unethical. 

Brazilians will generally warn tourists against wearing jewelry when out and openly carrying expensive electronics, especially phones.

This has happened to me many times when I’m out shooting photos, as many people stop to point to my camera with a concerned “ cuidado ” (be careful). Keep your wits about you in crowded areas – especially ones with many tourists – and avoid walking alone at night.

7. It’s illegal to drive in flip-flops

Even though Brazil is famous for its Havaianas , Brazilians are serious when it comes to road safety. Flip-flops can easily get caught on a car's pedals and cause accidents, so if you are caught driving with them, you may get fined. However, it is acceptable to drive barefoot if you don’t have any other footwear on you.

Explore related stories

Apr 19, 2024 • 6 min read

How do I play against a blackjack dealer? What should I wear? Are drinks really free? If you’re new to gambling in Las Vegas, we have your answers.

Apr 17, 2024 • 6 min read

Apr 11, 2024 • 6 min read

Mar 30, 2024 • 4 min read

Mar 30, 2024 • 5 min read

Mar 1, 2024 • 9 min read

Feb 23, 2024 • 6 min read

Feb 9, 2024 • 12 min read

Feb 7, 2024 • 5 min read

Feb 1, 2024 • 7 min read

• 50 US States

143 Interesting Facts About Brazil

Last updated on June 3rd, 2023

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. It has a total  area of 8,515,770 square km. Brasília is its capital and São Paulo is its largest city. Portuguese is the official and national language of Brazil. Real (R$) (BRL) is its official currency . Its ten bordering countries are Uruguay , Argentina , Paraguay , Peru , Bolivia , Colombia , Venezuela , Guyana , Suriname and French Guiana. With these interesting facts about Brazil, let’s learn about its history, economy, geography, rain forests, culture and more.

Facts about Brazil’s history

1. Human settlement in Brazil is thought to have begun at least 32,000 years ago.

2. Before the discovery of Brazil by the Portuguese, South American Indians had been living in the region for thousands of years.

3. On January 1, 1502, the first official tourist arrived in Brazil. The bay where they landed was named Rio de Janeiro (Bay of January).

4. Brazil was ruled by the Portuguese for more than 300 years.

5.  And it finally attained independence from Portugal on September 07, 1822.

6. The Portuguese established sugar plantations in Brazil during the 16th century.

7. The Dutch invaded Brazil in 1630, which was until now under Portuguese control. By 1654, the Dutch had to leave Brazil and once again the Portuguese had control over the land they discovered back in 1500.

8. Brazil discovered gold for the first time in 1695, and furnished a large portion of the world’s gold reserve during the 18th century.

9. The Portuguese started colonizing Brazil in 1930.

10.  “Brasil” – as called by the European sailors and merchants, was also known as the “Land of Parrots “ (Terra di Papaga).

11. Brazil forcibly imported African slaves in a large number (estimated between 3 and 4 million.)

12. Due to the importation of a large number of slaves from African nations, there was a great mix of population of indigenous Brazilians, the Portuguese, and the African slaves. Moreover, the arrival of immigrants from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East led to the miscegenation of these people from various origins. Hence, Brazil became a culturally diverse nation.

13. Brazil was the first nation in the Americas to bring people to work by force and the last to set them free when it abolished  Slavery in 1888 after centuries of hardship seen by the imported African slaves.

14. Rio de Janeiro was Brazil’s capital city until 1961. However, the country’s capital was shifted from the crowded Rio de Janeiro to planned city of Brasilia.

15. Due to floods and landslides, 916 people died in a hilly region of Rio de Janeiro in January 2011 and 345 people were missing. It was one of the biggest catastrophes in the history of the country.

Related: facts about Ecuador

Brazilian culture facts

16. The world’s largest population of Catholics (73.6%) lives in Brazil. They make up 64% of its population.

17. After the United States of America, Brazil has the second largest population of Christians. And the largest population of Christians in South America.

18.  Feijoada is the national dish of Brazil which is a  stew  of beans with  beef  and  pork. 

19.  Brazilians value family and social connections. Friendship and hospitality are some of the key traits that the local people look for among themselves.

20.  Visitors to Brazil are treated with the utmost respect and are admired. Brazilians have the reputation of being one of the most hospitable people in the world.

21.  The most popular type of music Brazilians listen to is the ‘Brazilian funk.’ The music has a constant and repeated beat, which never changes. Brazilians sing different songs with the beat and there are at least 1000 such songs that the countrymen couple with the beat. The interesting thing is that the combination never gets old nor does it get boring.

22.  Almost 90% of the households in the country have TV sets, and radio is the second most popular source of entertainment and information.

23. Brazil also has  the largest number of Japanese people outside of Japan.

24. It is a despairing fact about Brazil that it has a high murder rate.

25.  Brazilian Carnival is an annual Brazilian festival held between the Friday afternoon (51 days before Easter) and Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During the festival, more than 2 million people are on the streets every day.

26.  The Carnival held in Rio de Janeiro is often cited as the “world’s largest party”.

27.  Copacabana beach located at the south end of the city of Rio de Janeiro is a 4 km long beach. The beach is famous for hosting a concert in 1994 that was attended by 3.5 million people. This was the largest gathering for a concert ever.

28. According to media reports, by mid-2007, there were 67 tribes in Brazil who have never had contact with modern man. These semi-nomadic indigenous people have, however, made incredible strides in modern medicine thanks to our knowledge of their use of certain plant life as health-related elixirs.

29. At least 180 languages are spoken in Brazil .

30. Samba music from Brazil from the 18th century is still tremendously popular.

31. It is a ritual in Brazil for boys to bear the pain from Bullet Ants before they are declared adults. Their hands are put in gloves filled with these ants. Boys are required to withstand the pain for at least 10 minutes, and they have to pass this test 20 times before being declared adults.

32. Free sex-change operations are provided by the Brazilian public health system. They recognize this as a constitutional right.

33. Brazilians like to share their drinks and food with others and they are very happy about it.

34. Brazilians are also very optimistic about their future and always believe that tomorrow will be a better day than today.

Brazil facts for kids

35. The name ‘Brazil’ comes from ‘Brazilwood’ – the name of a tree in Brazil.

36. Brazil has a replica of the Statue of Liberty (a copper statue, a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States.)

37. Brazil also has the world’s second-largest black population after Nigeria.

38. Did you know that Brazil became the first South American country ever to host the Olympics in 2016? 

39. More than 6 million tourists visit Brazil every year. According to a report , 6.6 million tourists visited Brazil in 2016 . The visitors injected a whopping $6.2 dollars into the Brazilian economy. The boost in visitor count in 2016 was due to the Olympic Games held in the country.

40. Oscar Niemeyer designed the capital city of Brasilia.  It resembles the shape of an airplane when viewed from the air.

41. ‘Rubber’ made Brazil a wealthy nation during the late 18th century.

42. There are more species of monkeys in Brazil than in any other nation.

43. Brazilian national anthem has two seven-verse stanzas. Interestingly, both the stanzas have the same tune. Brazilian law does not permit you to sing just one stanza, you have to sing both the stanzas.

44. Embraer, a Brazilian aircraft manufacturing company is among the world’s top five aircraft manufacturers .

45. The  world’s highest   vertical  cemetery  (108 meters tall) is The Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica, in Santos, Brazil. While the world’s biggest cemetery (covers 1485.5 acres and contains millions of bodies) is in Iraq in the city of Najaf.

46. Brazil is the world’s second-largest producer of ethanol fuel.

Flag of Brazil

47. In 1946, voting became a right and an obligation to all women.

48. Brazilians drink 5.5 kg per capita per year of coffee while Finland tops the list with 12 kg per capita per year. See the list of nations drinking the most coffee here.

49. Brazil is the leading producer of oranges in the world, which amounts to 30% of the world’s total output.

50. The biggest African city outside Africa – Salvador – is in Brazil.

51. Pele is a Brazilian soccer player who is famous the world over. Brazil has won soccer’s FIFA World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.)

52. Paulo Coelho is a famous Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, on August 24, 1947.

53. Sand dunes in Brazil can reach a height of 40 meters.

54. Brazil’s first national parks were created in the late 1930s.

55. ‘Silva’ is the most popular surname in Brazil.

56. Brazil has a 60% share of the Amazon’s rain forest. The rainforest is also known as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle. The rainforest is estimated to contain 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species.

57. Brazil declared itself a republic on November 15, 1889. 

58. Brazil has the tenth-largest railway and third-largest roadway network in the world.

59. The largest number of species of mammals, plants and freshwater fish are found in Brazil.

60. Brazil has thirteen cities with a population of more than one million people.

61. Brazil has only three time zones, while France has twelve.

62. The climate is tropical across the majority of Brazil.

63. Brazil is also the seventh largest country by population behind China , India , U.S. , Indonesia , Pakistan, and Nigeria.

. . . continue reading on the next page

• Privacy Policy
• Legal Disclaimer
• Report Error

• News for Kids
• Dominican Republic
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• 7 Continents
• Australia/Oceania
• North America
• South America
• Chinese New Year
• Elections 2024
• Olympics 2024
• European Union
• Trivia & Quizzes
• Solar System Quiz
• Travel Reviews
• Travel Health
• Travel Links

Competition 2024

• Winners 2023
• Winners 2022
• Winners 2021
• Winners 2020
• Winners 2019
• Request A Correction

Brazil Facts

Interesting facts for kids.

Here are some interesting Brazil Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

• Population : 219 million people live in Brazil (2023)
• Capital : Brasilia, with 5 million inhabitants is the country's fourth largest city. The largest city in Brazil is Sao Paulo with about 23 million inhabitants. 
• Name : Republica Federativa do Brasil, Federative Republic of Brazil
• Government : Democracy, Republic
• Language : Portuguese
• Literacy : More than 91% of the people can read and write.
• Religion : mainly Christians (Roman Catholics 65%, Protestants 22%)
• Currency : 1 real=100 centavos
• National symbols : Jaguar (national animal), macaw (national bird) and cattleya orchid (national flower), national colours: green, yellow and blue, the constellation of the Southern Cross
• National anthem : " Hino Nacional Brasileiro "

• History : The country was inhabited mainly by semi-nomadic tribes before the arrival of the colonialists. The land was claimed by Portuguese and Portuguese settlers founded the colony in 1532. By the 17th century sugar cane was the main export product and the slave trade brought many African slaves to the country. The Brazilian gold rush attracted many fortune seekers to the country. In 1822, Brazil declared independence from Portugal, although independence was officially recognised by the Portuguese only three years later! Brazil was ruled by various Brazilian emperors until in 1889 it was finally declared a republic. Brazil's president is Luiz Inácio LULA da Silva since January 2023.
• National Holiday : 7 September (Independence Day)

Brazil Facts | Geography Where is Brazil?

Bra zil is located on the South American continent. Brazil also belongs to the Latin American countries. The country borders the Atlantic Ocean.

The largest Latin American country shares borders with all other South American countries except for Chile and Ecuador. The longest border is shared with Bolivia and is 3,400 km/ 2,113 miles long.

Below see a map of Brazil with the neighbouring countries and you will find Brazil's capital city: Brasilia.

Regarding the size of Brazil, all the countries of the European Union could fit twice into the country! Brazil is slightly smaller than the USA.

A flight to Sao Paolo takes roughly 11.5 hours from London/UK and 9.5 hours from New York/USA.

Brazil for Kids | More Facts about Brazil

• The country has almost 7,500 km/ 4,660 miles of coastline and is known for its many great beaches. 
• The northern and western parts of Brazil are largely dominated by the Amazon Basin. In the South, you will find the Brazilian Highlands. 
• The Amazon, the Paraná, the Madeira River, the Rio de la Plata and the Rio Negro are among the biggest rivers in Brazil.
• The climate in Brazil is mostly tropical with a temperate climate in the Southern parts of the country.
• The most famous landmark of Brazil is located in Rio de Janeiro. The Christ the Redeemer statue overlooks the city and Sugarloaf mountain.

Brazil Geo Superlatives

• Brazil is South America's biggest and the world's fifth largest country. The country covers three time zones! 
• Brazil is also the largest country in the Southern hemisphere as it is bigger than Australia.
• The Amazon river is the world's second longest river. It is about 6,400 km/ 4,000 miles long. The river flows through Peru, Colombia and enters the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil.

• The Amazon rain forest is the largest rainforest in the world. About 60% of the world's rainforests are located in Brazil.
• Brazil is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world due to the many species of plants and animals.
• The highest lying area of Brazil is in the North and is called the Guiana highlands. 
• Brazil's highest mountain is the 'Pico de Neblina' and is 2,994 m/ 9,822 ft. high.
• Brazil is the only country on the planet where the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn run through the country.
• The Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland and covers most of the country's western parts.
• Brazil shares the Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world with Argentina. There are over 270 waterfalls in this waterfall system.

Brazil Attractions for Kids

• Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana and Ipanema are great for beach holidays

• Capivara National Park is known for ancient rock paintings

• Recife, the country's fourth largest city is also nicknamed 'Venice of Brazil' because of its over 50 bridges and many waterways. 

• Pantanal National park is also called the 'Brazilian Garden of Eden'

• Florianópolis is located on Santa Catarina Island which stretches over 54 km/ 33 miles. The island has some of the most amazing beaches in the country.

Brazil Facts | People in Brazil

Brazil is the country with the fifth largest population in the world, after China, India, the USA and Indonesia.

Most Brazilians (87%) live in urban centres, mainly along the Atlantic coast and in the major cities.

The biggest cities in Brazil are Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The Brazilian cities are known for the extensive favelas . These are the neighbourhoods or shanty towns, where mainly poor people live.

The northern parts of the country are the least populated area in Brazil. 

Among the Brazilian people are more than 800,000 indigenous people, some of them Amerindians. 

Brazil Facts | Language in Brazil

Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in South America. The Brazilian Portuguese is slightly different to the Portuguese spoken in Portugal. The pronunciation sounds different and some of the words are used only in Brazil.

Brazil Facts | Carnival in Brazil

Brazil is known for its cheerful and vibrant atmosphere during Carnival time starting on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. Carneval do Brasil is celebrated in many cities such as in Sao Paolo, Salvador or Rio de Janeiro.

The Brazilian carnival starts on the Friday before Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of the Christian period of fasting called Lent. This usually is in February. 

In Brazil, carnival is celebrated with the parades of the various samba schools. The communities are usually widely involved as drumming, dancing and marching are practised all year round for this special annual event.

Brazil Facts | Brazil Economy 

Brazil is the eighth largest economy in the world. The country belongs to the BRICS which includes the countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The main agricultural products of Brazil include coffee, soybeans, wheat, corn and sugar cane. Brazil is the world's largest exporter of coffee, soybean and beef.

About one third of the country is agricultural land, however, only about 10% of all Brazilians work in the agricultural sector. The unemployment rate in Brazil stands at 12% and about 4% live in extremely poor conditions.

The largest trading partners of Brazil are China, the USA and Argentina.

Sports in Brazil

The people in Brazil love being outdoors, the main sports are soccer, volleyball and water sports.  

The South American country hosted the soccer world cup in 2014. Brazil won the world cup five times in  1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002  and the country has participated in all the tournament since it began.

Brazil also hosted the last Summer Olympic Games in August 2016. The XXXVI (16th) Olympiad in Rio was the first Olympic Games on the South American continent! Over ten thousand athletes from 206 countries took part in these summer sports games.  Read more about the Rio Olympics here.

Brazil Facts | Animals in Brazil

Brazil's national animal is the Jaguar.

Brazil is home to many other fascinating mammals too, such as armadillos, tapirs and pumas.

The Amazon is home to many fish species, also the piranha. The national bird is the macaw. The colourful toucans with their big horned beaks also can be seen in Brazil.

Brazil Facts | Food in Brazil

Brazilians love their fresh fruits and vegetables such as okra, coconuts corn and beans. Many traditional dishes contain beans, rice or manioc flour. The most favourite dish in Brazil is probably the feijoada , a bean stew made with pork and rice.

Typical Brazilian food and drinks :

• Pão de Queijo : delicious cheese bread
• Guarana : drink made with small red berries
• Feijoada : a bean stew made with pork and rice.
• Coxinha de Galena : Brazilian breaded and deep fried snack filled with shredded chicken. Usually served with a chili dip, see below:

Resources for Brazil Facts

• Central Intelligence Agency. "Brazil" CIA World Factbook . Updated 28 March 2023. Last Accessed 31 March 2023.
• The Olympic Committee. "Rio 2016." Olympic.org . Last Accessed 31 March 2023.
• Presidency of the Republic of Brazil. "Brazil in Numbers: Fact Sheet - Brazil". gov.br. Updated 1 October 2018. Last Accessed 31 March 2023.

Popular Pages

Images on Brazil facts page: shutterstock.com and own images

Return from Brazil Facts to Kids World Travel Guide Homepage

Competition 2024 is open!

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Events & Celebrations

Organisations, games & quizzes, travel tips, competition, recent articles.

Facts about Liberia for Kids | Africa Facts for Kids | Geography

Apr 25, 24 09:36 AM

UAE Facts for Kids | United Arab Emirates Facts | Geography | Travel

Apr 19, 24 04:33 AM

Argentina Facts for Kids | Geography | Attractions | People | Animals

Apr 12, 24 05:32 AM

More about South America

More about Countries in South America

Temperature in Celsius

Temperature in fahrenheit.

Popular Countries worldwide

Winning Essays 2020

Spread the Word

Like us on Facebook

Kids World Travel Guide

Brilliantly

Content & links.

Verified by Sur.ly

©Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com 2010-2024 | Created by Regina Gräff and KidsWorldTravels

 All rights reserved | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer

More From Forbes

Brazil explored: immersive trips, diamond trails and long-lost tales.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

There’s never been more interest in actual, genuine off-the-beaten-path travel than now. More and more tourists are searching out escape from the everyday—trips with fewer people, less (or preferably no) technology, and an opportunity to recalibrate and experience something authentic and life-affirming.

Stepping into the market with an offering that undoubtedly fits that definition is Gift of Go , who have launched an inaugural series of explorations into Brazil’s most remote and extraordinary regions for 2024.

Disappear into one of the planet's most biodiverse and least visited places.

Kicking things off is An Exploration of the Highlands of Brazil . A 14-day, 125-mile journey into the majestic Serra do Espinhaço departing on May 6th, a maximum of eight travelers and 10 expedition crew will trek, horseback ride, boat, bike, bushwack and overland their way across a labyrinth of lost historic trails and backroads in one of the planet’s most ecologically diverse places.

The trip promises Seussian landscapes, colonial villages and quilombos (former slave settlements), white sand beach fringed waterfalls, cola-colored rivers, bubbling hot springs and barely-visited UNESCO World Heritage sites. It will culminate at a famed Vesperata celebration in Diamantina, the UNESCO “city of diamonds.”

Journeys will lead to places of tranquility and solitude and beauty.

Apple’s iPhone AI Plans Confirmed With New Software Release

Samsung is giving away a free galaxy s24 in a new promotion, the fallout 4 next gen update is not going great.

The Serra do Espinhaço was once the epicenter of the world’s diamond trade but has been abandoned and largely forgotten about by the outside world for close to 200 years. It’s home to three UNESCO destinations and two globally-renowned biodiversity hotspots in the Brazilian Savanna and Atlantic Rainforest. Yet despite this, its largest conservation unit at the Sempre Vivas National Park receives only a handful of visitors each year, and most of those are from the scientific community. What that effectively means is that, from a tourist perspective, you’ll have the place to yourself.

Experiences are broken up into four chapters. The Serra take visitors on an epic trek through the mountains. The Garden navigates Brazil’s hinterland of big cats and sharp plants, disappearing trails, forsaken ranches and disputed lands by pack-mule and jon-boat. The Sertão brings travelers to the lowlands along miles of open road to festive cow towns and legendary hospitality. Lastly, The Berço is the cradle, dramatic landscapes that lead to tales of hardship and glory and at its end, the slave-built highway that cascades into Diamantina.

Experienced local guides lead the way along often invisible trails.

Gift of Go will lead a collection of curated trips over the year. At 14, 21 and 28 days in length, they are meticulously researched and curated; designed to create deeply immersive, enriching experiences that are as demanding as they are rewarding and that have the power to change how we see the world.

In this sense, Gift of Go is pitching the trips less as vacations and more as immersive stories—more purposeful than recreational, more exhilarating than relaxing. Expect to be challenged by a diverse landscape of cultures, geographies and historic realities through constant immersion and candid, uncurated conversations and interactions with local people.

From highland to lowland, mountain to cradle, guests will hike, ride, bike and bushwack to their ... [+] destination.

In the press release for their first experience, cofounder Eddie Lott notes that, “We are living in the Golden Age of picture-perfect places, carefully-crafted ‘authenticity’, and readily-collectible ‘once-in-a-lifetime' experiences. GOGO trips are different—in our minds, there is simply nothing more compelling, profound, or enriching than experiencing real life in a world far from our own."

Gift of Go slow travel experiences kick off in 2024 on May 6th and run across several months throughout the year. For details, check the 21-day A Diamantine Tale and epic 28-day Diamond/Wild Tales + Lost Trails . A limited number of bespoke itineraries are also available.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions